As Social Security Plans to Cut About 7,000 Workers, Some Experts worry that May Affect Benefits

The Social Security Administration Plans to SHED 7,000 Employees As the Trump Administration Looks for Ways to Cut federal spending.

The agency on Friday confirmed the Figure – which will bring its total staff down to 50,000 from 57,000.

Previous reports that the social security administration planned for a 50% reduction to its agency said.

Nevertheles, The AIM of 7,000 Job Cuts Has Prompted Concerns about the agency’s ability to continue to provide services, particularly benefits payments, to tens of millions of alder americans vheen hospital is alredy at a 50-yar low.

“It’s going to extend the Amount of time that it takes for them to have their claim processed,” Said Greg Senden, A Paralegal Analyst who has worked at the social second for 27 years.

“It’s going to extend the Amount of time that they have to wait to get benefits,” said senten, who also help the American federation of Government Employees Oveerse Social Security Empolyes in Six Center States.

Officials at the White House and the Social Security Administration was not available for comment at press time.

More from Personal Finance:
Trump, Doge Job Cuts May Be Biggest In History
Funding Freeze Stymies biden-ra consumer energy rebates
Trump, Musk Float Idea of ​​$ 5,000 ‘Doge Dividend’ checks

The Social Security Administration on Friday said it anticipates “MUCH OF” The Staff Reductions Needed To Payments, or vsip.

More Reductions Blad Come from “Reduction-In-Force Actions that could include abolisments of organizations and positions” Or Rassignments to Other Positions, The Agency Said. Federal agencies must submit their Reduction-in-Force Plans by March 13 to the office of personnel management for approval.

Former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley Last Week Told CNBC.com That the Continuity of Benefit Payments Could be at Risk For the first time in the program’s history.

“Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits,” O’Malley said. “I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days.”

Other experts say the changes could affect benefits, thought it remain to be seen exactly how.

“It’s unclear to me bested staff cuts are more likely to result in an interruption of benefits, or an increase in improper payments,” said charles blahous, SEID CHARLES BLAHOUS, SENIORCH StRERCH Strategist AT the MECATUSCE Center At George Mason University and a Former Public Trustee for Social Security and Medicare.

Improper Payments Happen When the Agency Eiter Overpays or Underpays Benefits Due to Inaccurate Information.

With fewer staff, the social security administration will have to choose better To processing delays, blahous said.

Disability benefits, which require more agency staff attention bot to process initial claims and to containue to verify beneficiaries are eligible, may be more suspetible to era more Retirement Benefits, He Added.

Under the Trump Administration, Social Security also plans to consolidate its geographic footprint to four regions down from 10 regional offices, the agency said on friday.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen how much saveings the overall reforms will generate.

The Social Security Administration’s Funding for Administ Costs Comes Out of its Trust Funds, which are also used to pay benefits. Based on Current Projections, The Trust Funds will be depleted In the next decade and social security will not be able to pay full benefits at that time, Unless Congress Acts Sooner.

The efforts to cut costs at the social Security Administration Bold Likely only help Former Principal Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

What President Donald Trump is Likely Looking to Do Broadly is Reset the Baseline on Government Speaking and Employment, He said.

“I’m not disagreeing with the idea that the agency could be more efficient,” Biggs said. “I just wonder with you can come up with that by cutting the positions first and figuring out how to how to have the efficions later.”