What the Federal Government Shutdown Means to You
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: October 1, 2025
Congress failed to reach an agreement on funding beginning October 1, 2025. Until further notice, the federal government is shut down. We know you have questions and will do our best to answer them.
We want you to know that during the federal government shutdown, payments to all people who currently receive Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will continue with no change in payment dates. You will still receive your payments on time.
To help you manage your benefits and access important services, we encourage you to create an online my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount/. With a personal my Social Security account, you can view benefit estimates, request a proof of income letter, apply for benefits, request a replacement Social Security card or Medicare card, and much more. It’s easy, convenient, and secure.
Our local offices will remain open to the public but will provide reduced services. During this time, we can help you:
- Apply for benefits
- Request an appeal
- Change your address or direct deposit information
- Report a death
- Verify or change your citizenship status
- Replace a lost or missing Social Security payment
- Obtain a critical payment
- Change a representative payee
- Make a change in your living arrangement or income (SSI recipients only)
- Obtain a new or replacement Social Security card
Hearings offices remain open to conduct hearings before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Please be aware that we may not be able to assist with all in-person service requests at this time. For example, we cannot provide proof of benefits letters, or update or correct earnings records. These in-person services will resume when the federal government is operating normally.
When the shutdown ends, we will post updates on our official social media accounts, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram. For more information on the government shutdown, visit www.ssa.gov/agency/shutdown.
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TPS
I completed a change of withholding form on the SSA website. Will that be processed during the shutdown?
Cari B.
Your “my social security account” website is not working. We should be able to change information over the phone.
Betty
If you are 93
I don’t do anything. Am I right.
Rudolf G.
So I went to or local SS Office on Friday, and it was then I discovered there were no services due to the shut down. The agent explained I can go on SSA.gov to ask for my requests. But when I went on I don’t see the potion to hit My SSA, or find the area to request the AWARD LETTER and my RED, WHITE & BLUE CARD that I need. Can you please assit me, thank you for your time.
Cathy
We only have a post office box for mail are we required to have a physical address as insurance is saying we do?
Michele R.
I have been trying to create a LOGIN.GOV account. I open the website on my laptop, follow instructions, take picture of my passport with the cell phone that just received a text with a code to continue creating the account!
Then, the website does not recognize my phone number. It is the only phone I have with no other option, no landline. Social Security cannot help me at my local office nor can the USPS offices I have visited. Extremely frustrating as I cannot talk to anyone over the phone to solve the problem.
Helper
Call your local 211 office by dialing 211 on your phone. Ask for their direct help, or a number to a local to you resource for further assistance.
Michelle
How can I print an award letter for my son?
JOHN S.
Is SSA only for tech savvy people? I tried a dozen times to change my account access to Login.gov
I got to the part where the ONLY phone number I’ve had forever, could not be identified through public records. Why ask then? Or maybe tell your subcontractors to fix their flaw.
The extremely unhelpful advice was to visit a local office or a post office. These must be ai generated nonsense answers. Or is it true a postal clerk can verify my phone number?
Pamela M.
I cannot get my picture into the govt ID thingy. I need info on going to the Post Office for confirmation. Where do I find that information?
DENICE L.
How do I get help with being LOCKED OUT of My Social Security online Acct❓
Maureen
I submitted my SS application on Oct 1st and can see that it is on the 3rd step for review. The typical application process takes about 30 days and I was expecting to receive my 1st SS payment beginning in Nov. Since the government shut down is completely out of my (your) control can I expect a retroactive payment should this continues on?? Thank you for the work you do.
Greg
My wife and I applied for early retirement benefits a year ago March. I was approved in two weeks, and benefits for that month was paid on time the next month. It took 3 months for my wife to get approval. Yes, she did receive the benefits for the months between applying and when she finally started getting payments.