The Social Security Administration recently announced a big change to its online services. This change will affect people over 65 and starts today.
To make getting benefits more modern and safe, the SSA has made it necessary to access Social Security accounts through Login.gov.
Because of this, seniors who have not signed up for Login.gov yet will only be able to access their Social Security accounts in limited ways starting in October.
People who signed up for My Social Security Account before September 18, 2021, will be hit the hardest because they will have to switch to this new platform in order to keep getting benefits.
The Social Security Administration has also stressed how important it is to finish this change as soon as possible so that people can continue to get their benefits.
The goal is to make things safer, but the quick rollout has caused worry among older people, who often have trouble getting used to new technologies.
What is Login.gov, and how will this impact Social Security beneficiaries from now on?
Users can manage their Social Security accounts in a safer way with Login.gov, which acts as a consolidated platform. The services that can be accessed have not changed, even though the access mode has changed.
Beneficiaries can still figure out how much they will get in future payments, manage their benefits, and get new Social Security cards. The SSA’s plan aims to make the process easier and safer, but seniors need to be careful as they make the change.
Beneficiaries need to do a few things in order to switch to Login.gov. For this, they need to go to the SSA’s secure website and choose Login.gov to create an account with an email address and a password.
After personal information is asked for to make sure the person is who they say they are, an activation code is sent to finish the process. Once the terms and conditions are agreed to, the transfer is complete and the person will continue to receive Social Security payments.
The SSA’s decision to make people use Login.gov is part of a larger plan to make the internet safer and easier for everyone to use. Still, the short introduction has made people wonder how ready older people are to deal with this digital change.
A lot of older people have trouble with new technologies, which shows how important services are for making this transition easier.
Other changes to the Social Security program that beneficiaries should be aware of include
Along with the new login access, the US federal agency wants to make other big changes to its insurance and financial programs to make things better for beneficiaries and make the agency’s work easier and more efficient.
Read on to find out more about all the changes that have been made:
- A new cost of living adjustment (COLA). Social Security confirmed a 2.5% COLA increase for more than 70 million beneficiaries that will become effective as of January 2025. This annual boost will help recipients of the retirement, survivor, and disability insurance (RSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.
- The earnings limit will increase for retirees and disabled people. The highest amount of your income that will be subject to payroll taxes is known as the annual wage base limit. From now on, according to the SSA, the new earnings cap will increase from $168,600 in 2024 to $176,100.
- A new in-kind support and maintenance (ISM) rule for SSI recipients. According to the federal agency, unearned income such as food gifts will no longer be included in the SSI payment calculation. This means that millions of beneficiaries could be eligible to receive higher SSI payments.
- The public assistance household will include SNAP benefits. Millions of American households will gain from this move because assistance from other household members, such as benefits from the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP), can be considered income and thus impact monthly benefits. Although the new guidelines need only one other family member to get assistance, all household members will now benefit.
