Social Security Announces Change to Online Access
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that those with accounts on my Social Security, the federal agency's online portal, will gain the ability to view their social security number online with secure digital access.
Newsweek contacted the SSA for comment on Saturday via email.
Why It Matters
According to the SSA in 2023 some 71.6 million Americans received support from programs it was administering, meaning improved access to social security numbers could benefit many people.
What To Know
In a press release published on Friday the SSA said my Social Security account holders will be able to view their social security numbers via the portal starting "early this summer."
This will allow those whose social security cards have been lost or stolen to easily view their social security number online, without needing to wait for an in-person appointment or for a new card to be dispatched via the mail.
The SSA said: "This digital feature not only streamlines the process for those who need their SSN [social security number] but also reinforces our dedication to protecting sensitive information. By providing a secure digital option, SSA aims to reduce the risk of lost or stolen cards and enhance the overall user experience."
The new feature will also be available to my Social Security account holders via mobile devices.
A Social Security card is seen alongside checks from the U.S. Treasury in Washington, D.C., on October 14, 2021.
A Social Security card is seen alongside checks from the U.S. Treasury in Washington, D.C., on October 14, 2021.
Kevin Dietsch/GETTY
Account holders are urged by the agency to "take advantage of this new feature," which they insist will improve "service delivery while safeguarding personal identifiable information."
Earlier this month the Trump administration announced it will resume collecting payments for defaulted student loans, which were paused in March 2020 at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. This will impact SSA payments as up to 15 percent of these can be taken by the federal government to repay student loans via the Treasury Offset Program.
The Trump administration has also announced it is reinstating National Social Security Month in April. This was a campaign launched by the first Trump administration in April 2019 but subsequently discontinued during the coronavirus pandemic.
A group of Senate Democrats have written to Social Security Inspector General Michelle L. Anderson urging her to investigate the impact of SSA cuts announced since Trump returned to office.
What People Are Saying
Acting SSA commissioner Lee Dudek said: "We are proud to offer this new digital solution to our account holders.
"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."
What Happens Next
If all goes to plan secure digital access for social security numbers should be introduced early this summer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wall Street Journal
23 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Americans Pull Back From an Epic Credit-Card Binge
Americans are starting to pull back from a pandemic-era credit-card binge. After a surge in credit-card spending that pushed Americans' card balances above $1 trillion, growth is now moderating. Credit-card spending has been growing more slowly than debit-card spending since late last year, the first such stretch in nearly four years, according to the latest spending data from Visa and Mastercard.
Business Insider
33 minutes ago
- Business Insider
'A National Security Risk': Boeing Stock (NYSE:BA) Tips Up as Reports Suggest Boeing Itself Could be a Risk to America's Security
Aerospace stock Boeing (BA) might be one of the biggest companies the United States has. One of the only two companies that handles commercial aircraft at any real scale, and a major supplier of national defense tools, the United States clearly counts on Boeing. But is America perhaps too reliant on Boeing? That is the question some ask. Investors did not seem to care, though, as shares tipped up fractionally in Friday afternoon's trading. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. The recent Boeing strike underscored the point, reports noted, with a strike putting delays in a recently-secured $20 billion contract to build the F-47 jet. Of course, it is worth noting that those delays were likely to happen, strike or no, as there has been a supply issue involved in getting the necessary engines for the F-47. But that point is not stopping some from suggesting that, perhaps, Trump himself should be taking more of a hand in the Boeing strike to get the workers back to work. This could be true, though given that the strike is only about two weeks old right now, it is possible that Trump might prefer to let businesses regulate their own issues instead of jumping in to exert pressure right away. But with Boeing currently the fourth-largest Department of Defense contractor, holding Boeing to a different standard could make some sense. The Unpleasant $81 Million Surprise While some are wondering if Boeing and its internal affairs are a national security risk, another point slipped in on Boeing: an $81 million award against Boeing from a court case about trade secrets theft. A United States appeals court reinstated the award against Boeing in favor of Zunum Aero, a startup that handles electric aircraft. Originally, a California judge threw out the jury verdict of $81 million for Boeing. But the 9 th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stepped in to put the award back, rejecting the original judge's assertion that the information that Boeing took was not, at the time, subject to trade secret protection. Boeing's next move from here, meanwhile, is unclear. Is Boeing a Good Stock to Buy Right Now? Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on BA stock based on 19 Buys and two Holds assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 29.56% rally in its share price over the past year, the average BA price target of $257.05 per share implies 9.14% upside potential.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
AT&T Customers Can Receive Up to $7,500 in $177M Data Breach Settlement — Here's How
The data breaches of AT&T customers occurred in March and July of 2024 NEED TO KNOW AT&T customers may be eligible for payouts of up to $7,500 as part of a $177 million settlement tied to data breaches Seventy-three million customers had their data, which included social security numbers, stolen in a March 2024 breach, and in the second breach in July 2024, 'nearly all' of AT&T cellular customers had their phone numbers leaked The deadline to submit a claim is Nov. 18 AT&T customers may be eligible for payouts of up to $7,500 as part of a multimillion-dollar settlement tied to data breaches in 2024. The company said it proposed a $177 million settlement to resolve multiple lawsuits — $149 million for the first class-action lawsuit involving a data breach in March 2024 and $28 million for another breach in July 2024. In March 2024, AT&T said it was investigating a data breach that exposed information, including social security numbers and birth dates, belonging to 73 million customers, whose data had been stored in its systems from 2019 through 2024, according to CNN. The second data breach occurred four months later and leaked the telephone numbers of 'nearly all' of AT&T cellular customers that used the AT&T network between May and October 2022, per the outlet. The company said hackers downloaded call and text logs onto a third-party platform. As part of the settlement, customers affected by the first data breach may be eligible to claim up to $5,000 in compensation for losses that occurred in 2019 or later, according to the settlement website. The amount of cash payment people can receive depends on the information they had leaked. For example, if a person had their social security number leaked, they were able to claim a higher cash payment than someone who only had other information, including their name or phone number, leaked. Those impacted by the second breach could receive up to $2,500 for losses that occurred on or after April 14, 2024. Those who were affected by both breaches, or an 'overlap settlement class member,' could get up to $7,500. For all claims, AT&T customers must show documentation proving that their stolen data was tied to either or both of these two data breaches. The deadline to submit a claim is Nov. 18, according to the settlement website. However, the website said the $177 million settlement is still awaiting approval, and the final approval hearing is scheduled for Dec. 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. 'The amount of money that will be available for Settlement Class Member Cash Payments is unknown at this time,' the settlement website states. An AT&T spokesperson told PEOPLE in a statement, 'While we deny the allegations in these lawsuits that we were responsible for these criminal acts, we have agreed to this settlement to avoid the expense and uncertainty of protracted litigation.' 'We remain committed to protecting our customers' data and ensuring their continued trust in us,' the representative added. Read the original article on People
