Social Security Addressing Aged Records
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 5, 2025
The Social Security Administration (SSA) today shared its significant progress in identifying and correcting beneficiary records of people 100 years old or older. The data reported in the media represent people who do not have a date of death associated with their record. While these people may not be receiving benefits, it is important for the agency to maintain accurate and complete records.
“I thank President Trump for highlighting these inconsistencies during his speech last night to a joint session of Congress,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “We are steadfast in our commitment to root out fraud, waste, and abuse in our programs, and actively correcting the inconsistencies with missing dates of death.”
The agency follows long established program integrity initiatives that identify people who have a higher likelihood of being deceased due to their age or incomplete death reports. For example, SSA receives data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of individuals who have not used Medicare Part A or Part B for three or more years. SSA uses the data as an indicator to select and prioritize cases of individuals age 90 or older, who are currently in pay status and living in the United States, to determine continued eligibility for Social Security benefits. The agency attempts to conduct an interview with these individuals to verify they are still alive. If the agency identifies someone is deceased, it immediately stops payment and reports any suspicions of fraud to SSA’s Office of the Inspector General.
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Dianne S.
Whomever issues a death certificate should be required to send a digital copy to the Social Security department. It’s too important to leave to the surviving relatives.
Bob
State of Florida death certificate system is tied to SS. Certificate will not be approved until SS acknowledges it. 10 years old.
Laura
Quoted: “SSA uses the data as an indicator to select and prioritize cases of individuals age 90 or older, who are currently in pay status and living in the United States, ” …why living in the US? So those not living in the US will not be investigated for fraud? Seems like an easy back-door scam for someone familiar with the process. It shouldn’t matter where the person lives!
Daniel
Agree, You can live in most countries on the average social security check
Mo
There are different methods to confirm status for those living abroad. This is being monitored, just not the same way as for those living in the U.S.
Anthony C.
I would assume simply due to the ease of record gathering in the US. Other countries may require diplomatic procedures in order to release records. At that point it’s a State Department issue, and out of SSA’s scope…or so I would suspect.
Theres S.
I agree that login should accept US Passport as people living overseas will probably go up with Trump making life unpleasant in the U.S.
Jim g.
And reading about sorting out the elderly people who are possibly deceased and still receiving social security your site States you wait 3 years for somebody who’s not receiving Medicare benefits I think that’s far too long anybody who is not received benefits say after 12 or 15 months should be reviewed essentially what you’re doing is opening somebody up to be being paid for two or three extra years anybody in the 90s plus sees the doctor at least once a year I’ve never met anyone in that bracket that doesn’t see a doctor frequently
TmK
2009 ????? a bit too old for a review & reply to these issues !
Ben P.
Nobody dead is getting SS payments otherwise federal prisons would be full of SS thieves and they are not the federal prisons are full of drug dealers scam artists and child molesters like Jeffrey Epstein
James
People have been going to Prison for this. Here’s a better source than MSNBC or CNN, try this https://oig.ssa.gov/ Learn the facts before you made false comments.
Sa M.
Nice argument :/
Your link is about individuals that scam the public into giving them their personal information through fake websites. NOT SSA employees or executives accused of fraud or theft!
Do better! Be better!
KD
Did you actually consult the site? No, or you would know the IG of the SSA does not merely investigate potential fraud by “employees or executives”. The site’s myriad audit reports show the extensive and highly specific level of scrutiny and oversight provided by IGs. A quick peek at these would dispel the narrative that “fraud, waste, and abuse” is rampant and the targeted focus of the current Trump administration. In fact, if the eradication of these is the true aim of DOGE, et. al., why is Trump pushing to eliminate Inspector General positions?
Terri V.
I’ve been waiting for my SS di payment since the first and it still has not been deposited in my account I don’t know what’s going on with social security but now I can’t get into my government ID account so I want to know what the f*** is going on
LAURA
But what if they’re not shown as ‘dead’ but they are. And the checks are going out to someone who should not be receiving them?
Shery
Agree, 3 years is way too long. I think 12 months is too long for someone 90 or over. 2 years for anyone younger.
Cecilia S.
Agree with Jim g. Waiting 3 years to investigate if a person is still alive is too long. From personal experience of caring for two elderly seniors… they submit multiple claims for doctor’s visits, hospital visits, exams or tests, etc yearly.
On a different note… who in SSA is checking/verifying when coroners or funeral homes submit Death Certficates with deceased SSNs? Are you saying that process takes 3 years? If so, unacceptable in this digital age.
Yvonne
part of the problem is government agencies technology systems. They use outdated systems and to avoid this status of recipients should be kept up to date. 3 yrs is much too long for an elderly individual.
Evelyn R.
I know plenty of people, especially men who don’t see doctors on regular basis. Your experience is not true or applicable to everyone.
Regina
I agree with you Evelyn. A great amount of people who make it to 90 yrs of age and living independently do not go to doctors regularly.
Elizabeth L.
I know several elderly members of the Christian Science Church who never see doctors and who sometimes use their own spiritual practitioners as healers. I use holistic methods myself, and at 74 I never need or use prescription or over-the-counter medications. So, I don’t need a doctor either. My Medicare Advantage plan provides for a nurse to “see” me online and ask me questions, but I wouldn’t call that a visit to the doctor.
Heidi M.
Oh i know a bunch of seniors that never go to doctor’s offices. I live in a retirement mecca and the older you get the less you want medical intervention. It also becomes a monumental task to physically get yourself to the doctors. Good job closing ss offices, now they won’t be able to deal with issues with their checks when trump and musk cancel ss and medicare.
Patricia V.
You should not disclose your age in this public site. It’s better to state, “those who are 70 and 71 years of age” in general to protect you. Thanks.
Rick B.
I cannot access the SS website. I continue to get the message, “We are unable to process your request”.
C.B.
Thank you for reading our blog, Rick. We are sorry you are having difficulty accessing your account. You can call our “Help Desk” at 1-800-772-1213. After you hear “How can I help you today?” please say “Help Desk” for help to access my Social Security account. The help desk is available to callers between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We hope this helps.
Ben P.
Thanks
Richard A.
I just found out that both the Social Security Administration and Department Veterans Affairs are dropping their current Login sites and will only be using ID.me or Login.gov. I and many others have a problem with this, I personally do not have the right Photo’s required ID’s. I served 30+ years in the US Air Force and then 15 years with the US State Department. I am 81+ years old, just using a PC is hard enough for me. I have been working and then retired overseas countlessly for the last 39 years. Starting in 1986 – 1991 at 3rd AF Staff then retired and moved directly to Bangkok Thailand. I found employment first at JUSTMAG Thai, then USAID and finely at the US Embassy and was employed for 16 years in all whiles living in Bangkok. I retired from the State Department in 2008, and for the last 17 years I have been retired in Bangkok. Over that period of time most of my stateside ID’s have laps. I do not have an original Washington State driver license or State ID.
When talking to LOGIN.gov staff they said, without at least one original Washington State driver license or State ID’s I cannot make a login.gov account. I feel if you’re making a GOV login site that you should allow a Government ID as one of the Primary ID such as a (US Passport or Military ID) to make a that login account and mandate to have either a State Driver License or State ID. I see no value of a State Driver License or State ID, as many States are given them out to everyone, even illegal foreigners (California as an example) without proper documentation. They should add USA Passport and Retired Military can be one of the primary ID’s.
Yesterday I received an email questioner from GSA email address asking what I thought of the new login.gov system, but when agreed to fill out the questionee it did not work. I could log on to it but could not mark one of my ratings for all their question?
I would appreciate if you could have your staff look into these requirements for making a login account.
RAP
Ben P.
Join the club
Gregory W.
g.garris. I have been setup with my login.gov account for about 3 months or more. Recently I discovered I am having problems with authentication. That being not receiving the data to authenticate. Not sure what to do yet since the login.gov platform may have compromised. I’m not taking any chances till I get more information. I’ve been using TotalAv Protection for my laptop and my phone. Has anyone else complained about this?
Tony C.
I’ve found I need to change my web browser in order to get into a website that I had no issue with before…..Firefox is no longer working for me to access several sites, I have had to change to Chrome.
just an FYI.
Greg C.
I’m 69′, last year, before Trump Admin. was elected or appointed, The SS Admin. got done witholding $750 that I was over paid as a child of by passed away father in 1967′. I was overpaid because I was getting benefits because I was in College in 72′ collecting SS. However, the SS found my GPA was below a 2 point GPA, as per rules, requiring a 2 point GPA, I was over paid.
My point is, the SS Admin. was and is working on being “smart” and accountable. I say this with direct knowledge, no “foil hat”. 50 years ago, I was over paid and they collected $750 bucks.
Incidently, I had already repaid that overpayment in 85′ because they sent me a bill. But, I did not save the reciept from 40 yrs. ago, they did not save theirs either, except for the debit, so I paid twice, and my father paid once. He never collected any benefits before he died in his fifties.
LAURA
In today’s world that should never happen. I don’t believe government technology is properly and timely updated to current technology and this is the result. It should have been recorded and available information when you paid that back in 85′ but likely the system didn’t have the ability to capture the necessary data. Is there a ‘deceased’ Y or N? Seems to me it should be easy enough to search for any account where deceased = Y and payments are being made.
Martina B.
I see alot of comments but no answers. Where are answers?
Loretta L.
Why are the rich paying into social on all income.. 167k cap is ridiculous. Elon Musk pays into social in 1 day… eliminate the wage cap now.. you’ll make social security stronger..
JohnnyPlan
This is the easiest way to solve any shortfall. I proposed this to GW Bush years ago. Keep raising the cap say 50K the first year and 100K the second year and then 150K every year thereafter until you get to the tax applying to the first $25 million of income. Adjust by inflation value after that.
Dismayed i.
login.gov owned by GSA allowed access 12 FEB 2025. 13 MAR 2025 claims both, email and PW not in system. Third party Corp. That GSA hired is of no help and refuses to provide name of Corp. For complaint. SSA does not respond to site filled email option. SSA telephone rep. Must speak to elderly female who is only able to mumble. They reuse to help her male Son. This administration is bad, as was the previous administration.
TmK
time to go into A li al office to fix it !!
before it shuts down !!
TmK
don’t believe Mr M. gets a salary..in order to deduct 4 Social security !!
only stocks & options etc.!!!
please correct ##
Evelyn R.
He does not get a salary for being CEO of Tesla, he gets paid with stock options. He was sue in court calling it an unfair compensation, not benefiting the shareholders. He also pays far lower tax rate than the average American and with the rich tax breaks coming from his pal, he will pay way less.
Darrell W.
What countries are you talking about? I am 89 and want to live in a free country.
How many people over 100 are collecting SS?
Give them a metal!
How many have stopped paying to SS due to high income?
TmK
don’t believe Mr M. gets a salary..in order to deduct 4 Social security !!
only stocks & options etc.!!!
please correct ##
Jada
I agree, but the new team in town wants to CUT taxes for the billionaires. They are not out to help us regular Americans who have dutifully paid their taxes for their entire lives.