Here’s What the Government Shutdown Means for Your Social Security
Written by
Joel Lim
Edited by
Angela Corry
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The United States federal government shut down on October 1, which means many departments will be shuttered for the duration. Social Security is considered an essential service, therefore not subject to the same closures and furloughs other government agencies are experiencing.
First and foremost, Social Security checks will not be halted. This applies to retirees and dependents of deceased workers as well as disabled Americans. If your monthly check comes from the Social Security Administration, it will keep coming.
In addition, Social Security physical offices will remain open to the public, albeit with limited staffing.
However, while the shutdown is in effect, there will be pauses in what services are provided. Here’s what you need to know.
What You Can Still Do
Many of the Social Security Administration’s services are available online through the mySSA website. This is the best place to get a payment estimate, request a proof of income letter, apply for benefits or get a replacement Social Security or Medicare card.
The SSA also shared in a letter to the public on October 1 that there are a variety of services you can still do at physical locations that impact payments. These include, but are not limited to:
- Applying for benefits
- Changing your address or direct deposit information
- Reporting a death
- Replacing a lost or missing Social Security payment
- Obtaining a critical payment
In addition, any pending hearings will take place as scheduled.
Services Not Currently Available
Some services around check processing, however, will be halted or disrupted. They include:
- Payee accountings
- Requests from third parties for queries
- Benefit verifications
- Earnings record corrections and updates are unrelated to the adjudication of benefits
- Overpayments processing
What About COLA?
One other area that may be affected by the shutdown is the Cost-of-Living-Adjustment that’s factored on an annual basis. COLA is in place to ensure that Social Security recipients can keep up with the changes in inflation and other cost-of-living updates each year.
Each year, the SSA announces the new COLA when the Labor Department publishes the Consumer Price Index on October 15.
According to The New York Times, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics is shuttered the cost-of-living index will not be reported, which in turn delays any decision to increase Social Security payments for 2026.
Bottom Line
Barring those issues, Social Security checks are expected to arrive on time, as you normally receive them — in the mail or via direct deposit.
- Those who receive SSI, or Supplemental Security Income, will get their checks on October 1.
- Those born between the 1st and 10th of the month will get checks on October 8.
- Those born between the 11th and the 20th of the month will get checks on October 15.
- And those born between the 21st and the last day of the month will get checks on October 22.
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