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Social Security in the current climate

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Social Security in the current climate

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Old Apr 4th 2025 | 10:25 pm
  #61  
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter
Has Musk been firing staff again?
He plans to do a major software upgrade which will only take a few months instead of the current 5 year planned migration so maybe this is a first test crash of that plan
 
Old Apr 5th 2025 | 1:39 am
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by durham_lad
He plans to do a major software upgrade which will only take a few months instead of the current 5 year planned migration so maybe this is a first test crash of that plan

"Upgrade"
 
Old Apr 5th 2025 | 1:55 am
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter
"Upgrade"
COBOL to ELON
 
Old Apr 5th 2025 | 10:23 am
  #64  
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter
Has Musk been firing staff again?
Originally Posted by durham_lad
He plans to do a major software upgrade which will only take a few months instead of the current 5 year planned migration so maybe this is a first test crash of that plan
Originally Posted by Lion in Winter
"Upgrade"
Originally Posted by durham_lad
COBOL to ELON
Arrrggghhh! The 'U' word

Where's Bristol's "We're all doomed" thread?
 
Old Apr 6th 2025 | 12:25 am
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

It’s not looking good, the “U” word also standing for under staffed.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ocial-security

Doge’s attack on social security causing ‘complete, utter chaos’, staff says


Office closures, staffing and service cuts, and policy changes at the Social Security Administration (SSA) have caused “complete, utter chaos” and are threatening to send the agency into a “death spiral”, according to workers at the agency.
 
Old Apr 6th 2025 | 1:44 am
  #66  
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by durham_lad
It’s not looking good, the “U” word also standing for under staffed.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ocial-security
Certainly seems problematic. I imagine, with experienced staff eliminated, there will be MORE of a problem in the future with the percentage of “improper payments.” I mean, I can see that, with luck, they’ll keep paying living people the same amount each month, just because it’s easier to keep spitting out the same check in perpetuity. But if problems occur? Prior errors are identified? Beneficiaries want to change their bank account info? Beneficiaries die? Proportion of errors could grow by the month …
 
Old Apr 6th 2025 | 1:52 am
  #67  
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by Steerpike
I just logged in again, to see if my application had proceeded from Step 1 to Step 2, and got this:


"We're sorry, we cannot provide your Benefit Application Status at this time ...".

Not what I was hoping for, but I'll check back next week. (It is Friday night; maybe the computers have taken the weekend off ).
Originally Posted by durham_lad
It’s not looking good, the “U” word also standing for under staffed.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ocial-security

Likely Steerpike's problem then.

"The SSA website has crashed several times this month. Wired reported Doge staff want to migrate all social security data and rewrite code in months, which could cause system collapse and further outages."
 
Old Apr 6th 2025 | 5:40 am
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by robin1234
From yesterday’s Letter from an American



https://heathercoxrichardson.substac.../march-28-2025
What could possibly go wrong with DOGE involved? (I believe Musk has been or is being terminated from his DOGE role?). In Canada new payment system was introduced for federal employees and a decade later I'm not sure it's even sorted out yet, thousand of people, overpaid, underpaid or not paid at all. Check out the Phoenix payment debacle.
 
Old Apr 6th 2025 | 5:43 am
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by durham_lad
He plans to do a major software upgrade which will only take a few months instead of the current 5 year planned migration so maybe this is a first test crash of that plan
Is this like the Starlink test crashes he did?
 
Old Apr 6th 2025 | 6:39 am
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by Kingsboy48
Is this like the Starlink test crashes he did?
Exactly. All my SS checks will flutter down over St Kitts & Nevis.
 
Old Apr 6th 2025 | 7:13 am
  #71  
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Today - a different system response:


But - it's Sunday. So may be all the servers are in Church.

Let's see what Monday brings ...
 
Old Apr 6th 2025 | 7:42 am
  #72  
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by Steerpike
Today - a different system response:


But - it's Sunday. So may be all the servers are in Church.

Let's see what Monday brings ...

Was that from just attempting to log into your account, or attempting to track your application to start drawing?
 
Old Apr 6th 2025 | 10:01 pm
  #73  
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by Steerpike
Today - a different system response:


But - it's Sunday. So may be all the servers are in Church.

Let's see what Monday brings ...

I can log in as of 11am UK time. But that's just to see my account. I'm not yet at the point of applying for actual benefits so can't test that bit.
 
Old Apr 7th 2025 | 5:29 am
  #74  
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Today's problem (this is the third type of problem I've encountered so far!):



Originally Posted by Lion in Winter
Was that from just attempting to log into your account, or attempting to track your application to start drawing?
These errors are all just trying to log in and view the initial 'status' page.
So - in detail -
1) visit ssa.gov. Click on 'Sign In' (upper right).
2) This opens a new tab with the 'create an account or sign in' page, offering login.gov, id.me, etc.
3) Click on Login.gov
4) This opens the login.gov page. Enter email address and password, and click 'submit'.
5) Satisfy 2 Factor Authentication - in my case, enter the google authenticator code (most people will get a text message with code)
6) This opens the 'Terms of Service' page. click 'I agree....' and Next.
7) (This is when I normally get the various errors posted above).
HOWEVER - THIS TIME - I get the actual status page! Starts with 'Welcome, <my name>' So this was about 15 minutes after the original error, posted above. So it would seem there are intermittent issues.

BUT - now I see a NEW (and more serious?) problem:


"We received an incomplete online application ... We will not take any action until we receive a completed and signed application'. This is new.

So now I need to figure out why it's saying 'incomplete' ... YUK.

UPDATE - if I click on the 'show retirement benefits application details', I see this, which contradicts the 'we will not take any action until ...' statement above.



I guess I'll sit tight for a week and see if anything changes.

Last edited by Steerpike; Apr 7th 2025 at 6:22 am.
 
Old Apr 7th 2025 | 6:01 am
  #75  
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Default Re: Social Security in the current climate

Originally Posted by Steerpike
Today's problem (this is the third type of problem I've encountered so far!):




These errors are all just trying to log in and view the initial 'status' page.
So - in detail -
1) visit ssa.gov. Click on 'Sign In' (upper right).
2) This opens a new tab with the 'create an account or sign in' page, offering login.gov, id.me, etc.
3) Click on Login.gov
4) This opens the login.gov page. Enter email address and password, and click 'submit'.
5) Satisfy 2 Factor Authentication - in my case, enter the google authenticator code (most people will get a text message with code)
6) This opens the 'Terms of Service' page. click 'I agree....' and Next.
7) (This is when I normally get the various errors posted above).
HOWEVER - THIS TIME - I get the actual status page! Starts with 'Welcome, <my name>' So this was about 15 minutes after the original error, posted above.

BUT - now I see a NEW (and more serious?) problem:


"We received an incomplete online application ... We will not take any action until we receive a completed and signed application'. This is new.

So now I need to figure out why it's saying 'incomplete' ... YUK.

Hmm. Sounds like a phone call is needed, along with 45 minutes on hold while you wait for someone.

Edit to add - what happens when you click on the "show retirement application details" link below the box?

Last edited by Lion in Winter; Apr 7th 2025 at 6:08 am.
 


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