Many people in the United States who receive help from federal programs like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) were confused and worried this week. When they checked their Social Security accounts online, they saw messages saying their payments had been stopped—even though this wasn’t true.
These wrong messages were due to technical problems in the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) computer system. The issue happened because of recent updates and changes inside the agency that had not been fully tested. Thankfully, even though the messages were wrong, the payments were still made on time. But the error caused fear for the 7.4 million people who rely on these payments to afford basic needs like food, rent, and medicine.
What is Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?
SSI gives monthly payments to older adults, people with disabilities, and others with low income. Many of them said they tried to call the SSA for answers but couldn’t get through because phone lines were too busy. Others kept checking their accounts, unsure if their money would arrive. The problem came after several changes in the SSA, such as staff layoffs and a move toward more online services.
Why Did the SSA System Fail?
The trouble began after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut the SSA’s staff by half. DOGE, led by Elon Musk, is trying to save $1 trillion by September 2025. These changes started under the Trump administration and include closing some SSA offices and making many services online-only.
Since then, the SSA’s tech systems have had several outages. These system failures have affected users trying to check their benefits or update their information.
New Online-Only Rules Starting April 14
From April 14, 2025, people will have to verify their identity online. Civil rights groups say this will make it hard for elderly people or those who don’t have internet or smartphones. Many live in rural areas or have health issues, and going online isn’t easy for them.
Also, the SSA brought back a strict rule on March 27. If someone is paid too much by mistake, the agency can now take away their entire monthly benefit until the extra amount is paid back.
April 2025 Social Security Payment Dates
Here are the dates when people will get their Social Security or SSI payments this April:
April 1, 2025
SSI payments will go out to all recipients. Since April 1st is a Tuesday this year, the money will be sent on time.
April 3, 2025
People who started getting Social Security before May 1997, or who receive both SSI and Social Security, will get their payments.
April 9, 2025
If you were born between the 1st and 10th of any month and started getting Social Security after May 1997, you’ll be paid on this date.
April 16, 2025
This is payment day for people born between the 11th and 20th of any month, also if they started getting benefits after May 1997.
April 23, 2025
People born between the 21st and 31st of any month, and who started getting benefits after May 1997, will be paid on this day.
Is DOGE Cutting SSA Funding?
Yes, the Department of Government Efficiency is making cuts. They want to reduce SSA workers from 57,000 to 50,000 and shift more services online. But groups like AARP warn this will hurt people in rural areas or those who can’t use the internet easily.
There have also been mistakes in the death records system, where some living people were marked as dead. This has stopped their payments, and fixing these mistakes can take months.
Experts say the SSA is under a lot of pressure. More Americans are retiring, and disability claims are rising. But while the government wants to cut spending, the SSA still has to handle more than 70 million people. This balance is causing more computer problems and service delays.
Also see:- Social Security Retirement Payments April 2025: Who Gets Paid When, and How to Get It Faster
