Social Security Strengthens Identity Proofing Requirements and Expedites Direct Deposit Changes to One Day
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: March 18, 2025
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is taking proactive steps to enhance the security of its services by implementing stronger identity verification procedures. The updated measures will further safeguard Social Security records and benefits against fraudulent activity. Over the next two weeks, SSA will carefully transition to stronger identity proofing procedures for both benefit claims and direct deposit changes. Individuals seeking these services who cannot use their personal my Social Security account, which requires online identity proofing, will then need to visit a local Social Security office to prove their identity in person. At the same time, the agency will expedite processing all direct deposit change requests – both in person and online – to one business day. Prior to this change, online direct deposit changes were held for 30 days.
“Americans deserve to have their Social Security records protected with the utmost integrity and vigilance,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “For far too long, the agency has used antiquated methods for proving identity. Social Security can better protect Americans while expediting service.”
The agency’s two-week transition plan includes training frontline employees and management about the new policy and careful monitoring of policy compliance. At the conclusion of the transition period, on March 31, 2025, SSA will enforce online digital identity proofing and in-person identity proofing. SSA will permit individuals who do not or cannot use the agency’s online my Social Security services to start their claim for benefits on the telephone. However, the claim cannot be completed until the individual’s identity is verified in person. The agency therefore recommends calling to request an in-person appointment to begin and complete the claim in one interaction. Individuals with and without an appointment will need to prove identity before starting a transaction. Individuals who do not or cannot use the agency’s online my Social Security services to change their direct deposit information, can visit a local office to process the change or can call 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an in-person appointment.
SSA recently required nearly all agency employees, including frontline employees in all offices throughout the country, to work in the office five days a week. This change ensures maximum staffing is available to support the stronger in-person identity proofing requirement.
SSA plans to implement the Department of Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s payment integrity service called Account Verification Service (AVS). AVS provides instant bank verification services to proactively and timely prevent fraud associated with direct deposit change requests.
The agency will continue to monitor and, if necessary, make adjustments, to ensure it pays the right person the right amount at the right time while at the same time safeguarding the benefits and programs it administers.
People who do not already have a “my Social Security” account can create one at www.ssa.gov/myaccount/.
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Tags: General Information, my Social Security account, online services
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James H.
I signed for the security method that was SUGGESTED, and now I can’t sign into my SSA account! it was Id.me. now it is a joke.
Stephanie G.
What is this change that we must comply with? Why do you strike fear into us and not tell us WHAT THE CHANGE IS? It is inhumane.
Lisa
You only need to verify your identity if you’re signing up for benefits for the first time, or changing your direct deposit. Don’t freak out. Geez!
Cynthia O.
Thank you. I’ve been getting social security for 25 yrs and wondered about this change. I mean when I first began to receive I had to call or go to the office which is normal because you had to bring identification etc. thank you
Edward C.
Why can’t everyone get there direct deposit the same day?
M W.
Elon Musk has declared Social Security as a big “ponzi scheme.” Then it is announced the phone lines are being eliminated. The next day they are not and SSA says they didn’t mean that. Then offices are going to be closed. Then cutting THOUSANDS of employees.
This chaos is all meant to undermine the SSA and make it increasingly difficult to apply for new benefits. Now under the ruse of “increasing security” for online access AND here’s the REAL kicker—those “security” and proof of identity “safeguards” are even for people who apply VIA PHONE. Now it is required to call and go IN PERSON as the only means to “prove” who you are. Soooooooo, the oldest trick in the GOP book is—don’t deny anyone access BUT make it SO difficult for the ELDERLY and DISABLED to apply, maybe they’ll just give up. Reminds me of making voting as hard as possible. SAME playbook.
So now, sure, phones will remain BUT it means NOTHING to new applicants bc they will HAVE to find a way to get to a local office—remind you—not as many locations—and staff cuts by the thousands?? Thanks for NOTHING.
GOP strikes again…privatization of SSA being the ultimate goal.
Sara
Agree!
If you can’t get your benefits or into a local office to prove your ID, call your republican representative. Demand help!
Demand them set up some type of assistance for seniors.
This is such a BS policy.
Kathy L.
So you must love all the fake beneficiaries taking our money fraudulently. Duhhhhh
Amanda F.
There is no such thing, Kathy. You clearly know absolutely nothing about how this works.
Mary
there definitely is SS fraud. They are changing nothing to affect those of us that have been drawing SS. I think you should have to prove identity when applying. I had to go to a local office to start mine 25 years ago! At least now there will be a way to do it online.
Lisa
They’re aren’t any. That’s fake news that trump and musk are spreading to justify their actions. The SSA has checks in place. Try reading something other than Breitbart
Daniel
Don’t you understand that billions have been stolen from social security? Why is it so difficult for people to identify themselves? If a cop pulls you over you have to identify yourself, if you buy alcohol you must identify yourself, if you set up a bank account or buy crypto you have to…. WAIT FOR IT….. IDENTITY YOURSELF!
Stop your crying and just identify that you are who you claim to be. It’s not difficult and I for one am glad they are trying to protect our money. Maybe we will finally be able to get a decent retirement benefit.
Sandy
Food for thought, Daniel: Persons who already get social security benefits have already established their identity within the SSA system. This new policy will, however, do the following for DOGE engineers and trackers: (1) update access information for the SSA beneficiary and then (2) increase DOGE accessibility to SSA beneficiary private records and data. Warning: You have already shared your private information, and acccess to it, to anyone who knows the basics of hacking – such as on this “blog.ssa.gov…” site. Thanks!
Amanda F.
Billions have not been “stolen” from Social Security. There are multiple ways that individuals ARE ALREADY IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES as part of the process – date of birth, social security number, mother’s maiden name, etc. This new rule adds a layer of unnecessary difficulty for individuals who are disabled or elderly, who now have to travel to offices that don’t take walk-ins and half the time can’t answer the phone so that you can make an appointment that is months out. This is not to mention the impact on folks who are homeless and disabled and who may not possess a state ID. Honestly, it is astounding the number of people commenting in favor of this crap who clearly have no idea about the process and how it works. Guess what, Daniel? The likely outcome of all this is that you get ZERO retirement benefits, not that you get a better retirement benefit. They want to break the system and get rid of these “entitlements.” Wake up.
Fred S.
Spoken like a true Demoncrat TURD, who couldn’t care less that corrupt people have been fleecing and stealing from the SS fund for years. Impacting the people who legitimately worked to qualify for SS. How many time do you hear those clowns say that SS will only last till such and such a year? You cretins that want the scam to continue are pathetic!
Lisa
No, billions haven’t been stolen. Stop drinking. the kool aid. There are annual audits done and safeguards in place. It’s public record. You can find it online.
S. N.
You are right. going into the office that has reduced staff makes no sense.
Jon
How will disabled/sick people who cannot meet in person and who cannot/do not use online technology access their benefits?
mev
It is truly frightening. SSA employees are very helpful. They should have more and not fewer of those employees. More small offices, everywhere and walk ins should be allowed if you can’t get through the phone line or it keeps hanging up.
Mike D.
With office closures and personnel reductions, what is the SSA’s plan to accommodate disabled and elderly who must provide documentation in person? Mobile offices (e.g. buses) that travel the country side?
William C.
I fell under the Windfall act. My SS was not enough to pay my Medicare so I had to pay the difference at beginning of the year. Will that be returned and if so how ? Thanks for the reply
Ann M.
What?
EdyIversen
Totally confusing..what about those living overseas..do we have to redo our social security applications if we are already on social security???
Ann S.
I don’t understand what you mean by the changes. What do we need to do? Will our accounts remain the same?
Bernie
When are you closing offices and eliminate human telephone services for the disabled and elderly? How do you sleep at night?
Tom
Good one Donald is trying to cut disability all together. Make America Great AGAIN by casting the disabled aside and try to make them get jobs.
Jamar r.
jamarpop232@gmaill.com
Joe c.
You have assume that wh cares and think that wrong assumption until they hear in bulk from senator and representatives offices that bad news for red Republicans and maga folks prepared for violence protect XYZ elderly family members in nursing homes. I expect most local law enforcement try rep etc staff first time but also staff return rep office etc first maga violence attack staff taking lives in their own hands local law enforcement knows better get maga’s crazy way. I reminded my elder said it’s old folks change things going middle age and younger go Walmart and Amazon request tar and feathers and pitchforks and elder said sure Amazon and Walmart struggle figure out first but thousands of millions folks spend money for that Amazon and Walmart figure delivery it and figure legally protect themselves but wh etc figure bad idea was scare and terrifying especially maga citizens. It become big business. Like said when local law enforcement officers they can’t depend fellow officers show up. Staff disappear but phone still work and maga crazies show up. Think about it if invade capital what’s stop local rep office etc? Local offices lot less protected.
T.D.
Joe-I don’t know WHAT you are on….BUT I WANT SOME !
Mary J.
I agree. How can you provide more services when you have implemented a major cut of employees? I do not trust who is behind all of these changes (DOGE).
Me
TDS much
Sacagawea
Trump Delusion Syndrome
Dennis R.
TDS
Jammie S.
Takes forever to call and get the information I need for my ss back pay. I’m on the phone for a long period of time and then sometimes a animated voice tells me they are receiving to many calls and I will have to call back later after ive been on the phone for 15mins.
Charles E.
I get you on this..it took them 3 hours to get back to me..and that was a short wait compared to some of the other things…there is no reason to cut any social security staff or any workers
Edward D.
When are you going to stop giving our money away?
IE: Using our money to give it to people who never paid in and the government using our money for their use to help pay other things in the government.
Our investment in Social Security is not for any other use but to pay our retirement.
Lamar T.
Voting matters. The President of The United States of America is doing this, after he said he wouldn’t touch social security. Well he’s not touching it but he’s letting The Richest Man in the World call us parasites (for wanting our own money) and dismantling the agency. So he’s not touching your money but touching the people that processes our benefits.
Angie
They sleep like a baby!🙄
Denise W.
Reduction in Medicare and Medicare BCBS advantage have reduced payments for telehealth. How are disabled or elderly people supposed exist…I have had to cancel my weekly telehealth with my oncologist team.because now it’s will cost me 200 hundred month that is no longer covered.!??
Mustafa A.
Taylor Swift does a number two every morning from her sexy dirty poop hole
Patricia P.
It’s a scam to make as difficult as possible for social security recipients to get their money!
Jill
The employees in the Social Security offices are not losing their jobs. (I personally know 2 people that work there!) The federal government is looking into to fraud. Quit watching MSM thats lies and puts fear in people’s minds.Thank god they are looking into to it, because older people like me put a lot of money into it for many years…
Daniel
Most of the people who are commenting suffer from TDS. Maybe social security can pay for a frontal lobotomy for them lol
Irene A.
Thank Y💚u🤝❗️🫶🙌🏽👏👏🏽👏🏻😴
Dan M.
What took so long for this level of security to be incorporated? DO NOT CUT STAFFING, IT’S ALREADY A STRUGGLE TO GET IMPORTANT ANSWERS TO TOPICS INADEQUATELY COVERED ON THE WEBSITE!!! Your technological deficiencies often require speaking to a representative for clarification.
Scared
I’ve been a victim of several data breaches and my public aid accounts were compromised thank god social security had me be vigilante on coming into the office to verify any and all changes to my account with my id that’s the only reason my social security account or my social security benefits were not effected during my long run in of account hacking and company’s being told false information that has caused me a lot of identity issues as well as trying to make me look like I’m committing fraud when in fact the fraud is being committed by those state actors who hacked my stuff and have broke into my home several times to steal important medical documents and hack and erase my phones that had evidence of their wrong doing and the police are allowing this to happen and state to me so I know who is doing it then if not we can’t do anything about it well I can’t stop the whole town and all the people that are working together to do this to me now I’m being held hostage in a town in one direct area so they can keep doing what they have been doing to me so no need to fight back they black mail me and scare people in different company’s away from helping me like adult perfect I’ve services by saying if they help relocate me they will be arrested for harboring a criminal and I’m not the criminal but the police ignored every attempt I made to report the theft and abuse or they blamed everything on me and say it’s my own fault but I fact I can’t defend myself due to fear in disability so how is it all my own fault
Dan T.
If you voted for the donald, then you can thank him and elon for the mess that we now find ourselves in!!! They are bent on doing away with our social security!!! It is NOT an entitlement. I have paid into it for 53 years, since I was 13, and every year since, and I expect it to continue to be there for me in the coming months and years!
Joe c.
Trouble is coming.
Robert J.
You should not be closing offices if your expecting more people to have to visit in order to properly identify themselves in person. That doesn’t make any sense to close offices.
mev
Very true, Dan M
Joseph B.
That’s funny. I HAD to go to my SS office to sign up. I suspect it’s another process such as southern states closing polling places so certain political areas of voters aren’t able to vote. Security? How is it an unelected person from S.A. has free run of Americans private information? Let’s fix that.
Thomas E.
Go to an office? You closed the one here in town. The only other one is an hour away and I don’t have a f****** car.
Jennie S.
Agree
Margaret
Those that already have a social security account , direct deposit will they be required to do identity check on line?
Deborah F.
The new policy will REQUIRE emoyees to return to the offices.
Joan
Social Security has ALWAYS been very secure!!!! I am wondering if it is now as secure as 1/19/2025!!!!
Barbara M.
Shutting down Social Security offices and firing staff is ordered by trump and happening now. A nightmare for many people. When I applied for Social Security online I was given incorrect information which, had I followed through, would have drastically reduced the amount I receive. Going to the nearby Social Security office let me speak with a knowledgeable person who made sure I had the best outcome at that time and later on. She set me up with widow’s benefits and kept me from applying for benefits on my account for several years until I was “full retirement age”. Human, in person contact is necessary for us. Also, the office nearby me is always jam packed with people. We need it to remain open.
Jill
They are not cutting staff! Stop it fear monger! I know people that work there! Stop scary people.
Joan
Well, Elon said on NATIONAL TV that social security is a PONZI SCHEME & 150 year old people drawing social security, they are taking a chainsaw to ALL government departments instead of doing like President Clinton did by going to Congress & then taking 5 years to do cut backs where needed!!!!!!!!