No, 150-Year-Olds Aren’t Receiving Social Security — What’s Really Going On
Written by
Chris Adam
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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Some retirees across the United States have raised concerns about the future for Social Security now that President Donald Trump has said he’s looking for ways to cut back on government spending. Trump and Elon Musk, who helps lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), raised eyebrows in recent remarks about who’s receiving Social Security benefits.
GOBankingRates took a closer look at some of the claims and why there are real concerns about the future of Social Security.
The Claims
Musk made comments from the White House and on social media.
Those remarks included Musk claiming that he found 150-year-olds receiving benefits, millions of deceased people marked alive in the system and other oddities when reviewing the Social Security system, according to ABC News. Trump later shared similar claims.
The Details
According to FactCheck.org, a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, the president incorrectly interpreted data Musk shared. In fact, about 89,000 people over the age of 98 received Social Security benefits last year.
The discrepancy is likely due to outdated records in the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) database, which may not record individuals as deceased if they passed before the agency shifted to electronic records.
The Concerns
While 150-year-olds may not be receiving Social Security benefits, and the number of those incorrectly labeled alive may be much smaller than the suggested millions, there are still concerns about improper payments.
They are a concern for the SSA, and some internal audits suggested the number of deceased recipients still being sent benefits is perhaps in the thousands. The Office of Audit in the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General has published a series of reports about programs and operations.
The Future
Amid his calls for cuts to government spending, Trump has said he won’t support cuts to Social Security. In fact, Trump has talked about repealing taxes on Social Security benefits with an aim to save retirees money, which some critics say could do more harm than good and potentially lead to reduced benefits for some Americans.
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