The Social Security Administration said Friday that starting this summer, "my Social Security" portal users will be provided digital access to their Social Security number — offering "a modernized, secure and accessible alternative to the traditional physical SSN card."
The digital SSN feature "will allow account holders to conveniently display their SSN, when needed, for reasons other than handling Social Security matters," the agency said.
"This enhancement will provide individuals who have forgotten their SSN or misplaced their SSN cards a simple solution allowing them to securely view their SSN online," SSA said. "This will reduce their need for an in-person visit and/or having to wait to receive their SSN card through the mail."
Account holders will be able to access the number on their mobile devices via the online portal.
“We are proud to offer this new digital solution to our account holders,” said Lee Dudek, acting commissioner, in a statement. “This enhancement reflects our commitment to providing better service to the public while ensuring that their personal information remains secure. We believe that this modern approach will meet the needs of our constituents in a more efficient manner.”
Paper Cards to Be Phased Out?
The announcement is yet another policy change that has Social Security advocates scratching their heads.
It's "unclear whether traditional paper Social Security cards eventually will be phased out," said Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, in a statement. "That is something seniors need to know."
Digital cards have "the potential to cause confusion and unnecessary inconvenience," he said. "While younger generations may be able to access the new ‘digital’ Social Security cards without difficulty, many seniors will not."
Accessing the Social Security site or mobile app and going through two-factor authentication "could be a serious hurdle for some older or disabled beneficiaries," Richtman continued. "Why spend time and money on digital cards when there still are long hold times on the agency’s 1-800 number, website crashes, and delays in processing and adjudicating claims?"
Richtman cited a finding from Pew Research Center that around 20% of older adults don't have smartphones.
Historically, SSA "would spend months preparing for this type of change, consulting with experts and ensuring security — and that is how it should be," added Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, Monday in an email.
"Elon Musk's DOGE is rolling these digital cards out haphazardly, with none of the normal preparation. Furthermore, they are doing so after pushing out many of the staff who work on securing the website," she added.
Altman said she was "quite concerned that this may increase the risk of hacking and identity theft. Once again, Musk's DOGE is creating waste, abuse, and the increased opportunity for fraud, not the opposite."
Social Security "is about to turn 90 years old this summer," Richtman added. "We would think by now that the Trump administration would stop to consider who Social Security beneficiaries really are. They're in their 60s or older — or are living with significant disabilities that prevent them from working. They most definitely are not Musk tech bros in their early 20s."
In mid-March, the SSA said that it would start requiring in-person visits for those without an online account. A month later, after backlash and widespread confusion, the agency reversed course.
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