Amid widespread confusion and accusations from Elon Musk suggesting “millions of dead people” are receiving benefits, the Social Security Administration has issued a clarification.
In a recent press release, the SSA says it receives more than three million death notices every year. The release offers a glimpse behind the curtain to explain how deaths are reported to the agency and why the SSA believes that, contrary to Musk’s claims, the records on file are “highly accurate.”
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“Of these millions of death reports received each year, less than one-third of 1 percent are erroneously reported deaths that need to be corrected,” the SSA states in its press release.
By being transparent, the SSA hopes to correct false narratives spreading on social media while reducing the “devastating” consequences of someone reported as deceased by mistake.
Dispelling misinformation
Confusion about the SSA’s death records erupted after billionaire Elon Musk — who is leading President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — posted on X in February.
“Having tens of millions of people marked in Social Security as ‘ALIVE’ when they are definitely dead is a HUGE problem,” read Musk’s post.
In response, the SSA offered evidence that many of the errors the agency needs to correct are not for dead people marked alive, but living beneficiaries marked dead.
For instance, 82-year-old Ned Johnson lost access to his benefits and saw $5,201 removed from his bank account after he was incorrectly reported dead to the agency, according to The Seattle Times.
“Instances when a person is erroneously reported as deceased to Social Security can be devastating to the individual, spouse and dependent children,” says the SSA. “Benefits are stopped in the short term which can cause financial hardship until fixed and benefits restored, and the process to prove an erroneous death will always seem too long and challenging."
Among the 67 million Americans who receive SSA benefits, only 0.1% of them are over the age of 100, according to SSA statistics. Furthermore, since 2015, the agency has used an automated system to terminate the benefits for anyone over the age of 115.
Amid all the confusion and misinformation, if you’re concerned about missing or delayed Social Security payments, here’s how to take action.
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Check your records
Given all the recent changes to the SSA, it makes sense to check your records on the agency’s website. Log in to your personal mySocialSecurity account and ensure all of your details are correct and updated.
You can also call the agency’s national 1-800 number to get clarification and further information on any potential changes to your account. Just remember to exercise caution when communicating with the SSA — the agency warned Americans in March about a rise in scammers posing as SSA representatives and attempting to steal benefits and/or personal information.
If you or a loved one suspect that you’ve been erroneously reported as deceased, the agency recommends reaching out to your local Social Security office.
It also couldn’t hurt to talk to your financial advisor to try to make sense of the latest Social Security changes and get ahead of what may be coming next. A professional who understands the system can help you navigate all the changes that the current administration seems to be rapidly implementing.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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