SSA’s Equity Action Plan 2023 Update
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: February 14, 2024
As the new Commissioner of Social Security, I am dedicated to ensuring equitable access to our programs and high-quality service for everyone seeking our help. In line with the Administration’s whole-of-government approach to deliver better outcomes for the American people, I’m pleased to share our Equity Action Plan 2023 Update.
Our equity work supports progress on our biggest customer service challenges in 2024, including long wait times on our National 800 number, processing times for disability determinations, and overpayment and underpayment inequities. I look forward to working with advocates and other stakeholders in communities across the country to deliver critical services equitably to the American people.
Our updated plan continues our work to:
- Simplify and improve access to the Supplemental Security Income program for women, families, individuals from underserved communities, and other people facing barriers.
- Provide more data by race and ethnicity to the public to further identify, monitor, and address areas where there are service inequities.
- Update our systems and Social Security Number application processes.
We also have three new focus areas in the updated plan, including:
- Ensuring language does not pose barriers to apply for benefits and access services.
- Reducing pending SSI underpayments and assessing root causes of improper payments.
- Increasing awareness of survivors benefits eligibility among people disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Visit our Equity page to download the full Equity Action Plan 2023 Update, which includes how we will measure our near and longer-term progress.
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Tags: Commissioner, General Information, People Facing Barriers, SSI, SSN, supplemental security income
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Beth M.
Stop with the whole “equity” thing. Benefits should be applied equally regardless of race and location. If a person works and pays social security taxes, and has the 40 credits needed to receive SSI benefits, then they receive the benefits when they meet the required age limit. For example, if a white person and a black person are the same rank in the National Guard and the black person lives in a better neighborhood than the white person, does that mean the white person is an underserved demographic? Stop using “equity” as a measuring stick. Your SSI benefit is based on how much money you earned over your working career, not how much you paid into the system. Since SS is taxed from your paycheck (FICA), why is the monthly benefit taxed again when it’s dispersed?
Gabriel R.
👍👍💪
Jani
why is social security taxed again when you collect it, and 100% agree with what Beth says
Edie J.
As I understand the benefit, it is based on how much You contribute Plus “growth” over time. Here are some pretend numbers.
If I pay In $25 a month for 10 years into social security, I’ve paid $3000. Years later, I get an SS payment of $300 a month for a year. That would give me $3600. That’s more money than I put in. So they tax for the Extra income. I’m happy they tax me rather than Stopping the monthly check as soon as My money is all used up. Doesn’t that make sense?
Sue
Hi, Jani. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. The law requires some beneficiaries with higher incomes to pay federal income taxes on their Social Security benefits. To learn more, visit our Benefits Planner. If you have specific tax questions, you will need to call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or visit http://www.irs.gov. We hope this helps.
Bruce S.
Totally agree…DEI measures are racist.
Sue
Hi, Beth. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. The taxation of Social Security benefits began in 1984 after Congress passed a law in response to a short-term financing crisis. As a result, you may have to pay federal income taxes on some of your Social Security if you have other substantial income in addition to your benefits. That includes interest and other taxable income that must be reported on your federal tax return. For more information, visit our Income Taxes And Your Social Security Benefits webpage. We hope this helps.
Dfence1122
I spent over an hour standing in line outside my local social security office in Houston only to find out that it would be several hours before we would get into the office. All i needed to do was submit a W-4 to have taxes withheld because the maximum income that we can make is so pathetically low. Really bad experience so far, and i am at the end of my first year of my claim. Plenty of people there that arrived here illegally applying for social security cards though…they seem to have lots of people working on that.
Gabriel R.
But it is no reason to get you long hours and months waiting for your requirements
Sue
We’re sorry to hear of your experience, Dfence1122. You can mail or fax your completed form W-4V to your local Social Security office. Check out our Withholding Income Tax From Your Social Security Benefits webpage for more information. We hope this helps.
RICHARD W.
OVER MANY YEARS THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF TALK ABOUT IMPROVING SERVICES, YET I SEE NO IMPROVEMENT OVER THOSE SAME YEARS: LONG WAIT TIMES, NO RESPONCE FROM CALLS, VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ONLINE IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. I HAVE GIVEN UP.
Ted G.
This transparency is like all other policies in this administration. Believe the opposite of what you are being told and you’ll have the truth.
Jessanie M.
When will Survivor benefit and funeral change?
John m.
Equity Programs? I thought social Security was for people who have paid in and are over a certain age. I realize there are people who get their children on social security and even if the child grows up to be an able bodied person, they are still given social security. Does anyone followup on these claims?
Darrell N.
I agree with you John. In 2024 equity means (to me anyway) illegal immigrants will be eligible for free benefits if they have children. Equity nowadays means that everyone is entitled whether or not they’ve earned it.
William
Well said John.
Sue
Thank you for reading our blog, John. When a parent receives Social Security retirement or disability benefits, or they pass away, their child may be eligible for benefits as their dependent. Child’s benefits generally stop at age 18 unless the child has a disability. If the child is still a full-time student, benefits can continue until age 19. For a child with a disability to receive benefits on a retired, disabled, or deceased parent’s record after age 18, the disability must have started before age 22. For more information about benefits for children, check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Geraldine L.
I am delighted to hear your concern with victims of COVID19. I was denied survivor’s benefits when my husband died of COVID19. I was told COVID19 was considered a natural death and we did not meet the 9 month rule, although we had lived together for over 20 years. I appealed and after 3 years received a fully favorable decision from an administrative law judge (ALJ). I have been waiting for 3 months now, since the ALJ’s decision, for the processing center to start benefits. Hopefully, this will happen soon.
Sue
We’re sorry for your loss, Geraldine. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We encourage you to work with your local Social Security office or call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter Wednesdays through Fridays or later in the day. We hope this is resolved soon.
american
Colonel M.
February 14, 2024 3:21PM
How are you defining “Equity”? That word has been used recently to focus on different service levels for different racial groups. I believe all American’s eligible for Social Security should be treated equally without regard to racial category. Earned Income seems one valid criteria, but using race as a category for benefits worries me.
Colonel M.
How are you defining “Equity”? That word has been used recently to focus on different service levels for different racial groups. I believe all American’s eligible for Social Security should be treated equally without regard to racial category. Earned Income seems one valid criteria, but using race as a category for benefits worries me.
William
Exactly. Discrimination is always wrong. Tracking and reporting by race and ethnicity is a horrid idea. Creates jealousy over what other people have earned over their lifetime.
Harsha P.
Request stop the pay back program. Why my point of view is that Social security benefit which we receive is for benefits for seniors because they do not get jobs after they have reached retirement age. THAT PROGRAM HAS TO STOP SPECIALLY WITH THE INFLATION AND HIGH MEDICARE PREMIUM.