What’s the truth behind Trump and Musk's claims on Social Security?
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What’s the truth behind Trump and Musk's claims on Social Security?
Social Security is a cornerstone of financial security for millions of Americans, providing essential benefits to retirees, individuals with disabilities, and survivors.
But what happens when bold claims about the system's integrity start circulating?
In recent days, President Trump and Elon Musk made headlines by suggesting that Social Security is paying benefits to people who are over 100, 200, or even 300 years old—citing a major concern about fraud and mismanagement.
Musk, in particular, pointed to a “huge problem” involving payments to individuals who are allegedly marked as "alive" in Social Security records, even though they may no longer be.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not simply send payments to supercentenarians without verification.
While occasional errors have occurred—such as payments mistakenly issued to deceased individuals—there is no evidence to support the claim that these payments happen on a massive scale.
Part of the confusion stems from an outdated system used by the SSA.
Their older Common Business-Oriented Language (COBOL)-based software sometimes defaults to placeholder birthdates from over 150 years ago when complete data is unavailable.
However, this does not mean these individuals are actively receiving benefits. A missing death date in the system does not equate to an ongoing payment.
According to a report from the SSA’ Inspector General, the percentage of improper payments made by the SSA is very small—less than 1% of the total benefits paid between 2015 and 2022.
Most of these errors were overpayments to living individuals, not payments to deceased ones.
In fact, the agency has measures in place to prevent fraudulent distributions, including stopping benefits for anyone recorded as being over 115 years old.
In addition, a report from the US Treasury in early January revealed that, while it’s true some improper payments went to deceased individuals, the amount was also significantly smaller than what has been suggested.
What experts are saying
Experts suggest that while identifying and eliminating improper payments is important, the claims about hundreds of millions of people receiving Social Security payments at impossible ages should be put into perspective.
Chuck Blahous, a senior research strategist at the Mercatus Center, pointed out that other federal programs, such as Medicaid, face much higher improper payment rates than Social Security.
In fact, Social Security is among the most efficient federal programs when it comes to payment accuracy.
Sita Nataraj Slavov, a public policy expert, warned that incorrect claims about the number of improper payments could lead people to think that fixing Social Security’s financial issues is as simple as cutting fraud.
However, she stressed that the real challenges lie in addressing long-term solvency issues, which will require more than just tackling improper payments.
The White House has reiterated its dedication to combating fraud and waste within the Social Security system.
“A previous investigation revealed that the SSA paid at least $71.8 billion in improper payments. The Social Security Administration is now focused on uncovering additional waste, fraud, and abuse as part of the Administration’s broader effort to safeguard taxpayer dollars,” said Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson.
Misleading claims about Social Security can cause unnecessary alarm, distract from real issues, and confuse how the system works. Ensuring the long-term stability of the system requires informed discussion and well-considered policy decisions.
Related articles:
Big changes ahead: Social Security payroll tax set to end?
Elon Musk’s dire Social Security warning—what you need to know
What are your thoughts on Social Security and the claims being made? Have you encountered misinformation about the system? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Read next: You won’t believe the shocking answer that left Ryan Seacrest speechless on "Wheel of Fortune!"
Social Security is a cornerstone of financial security for millions of Americans, providing essential benefits to retirees, individuals with disabilities, and survivors.
But what happens when bold claims about the system's integrity start circulating?
In recent days, President Trump and Elon Musk made headlines by suggesting that Social Security is paying benefits to people who are over 100, 200, or even 300 years old—citing a major concern about fraud and mismanagement.
Musk, in particular, pointed to a “huge problem” involving payments to individuals who are allegedly marked as "alive" in Social Security records, even though they may no longer be.
Recent claims about Social Security payments have sparked debate—here’s what the facts really say. Image Source: YouTube / Fox News.
The reality of Social Security payments
The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not simply send payments to supercentenarians without verification.
While occasional errors have occurred—such as payments mistakenly issued to deceased individuals—there is no evidence to support the claim that these payments happen on a massive scale.
Also read: Is your state taking a bite out of your social security? Find out now!
Understanding the data
Part of the confusion stems from an outdated system used by the SSA.
Their older Common Business-Oriented Language (COBOL)-based software sometimes defaults to placeholder birthdates from over 150 years ago when complete data is unavailable.
However, this does not mean these individuals are actively receiving benefits. A missing death date in the system does not equate to an ongoing payment.
The Inspector General’s report
According to a report from the SSA’ Inspector General, the percentage of improper payments made by the SSA is very small—less than 1% of the total benefits paid between 2015 and 2022.
Most of these errors were overpayments to living individuals, not payments to deceased ones.
In fact, the agency has measures in place to prevent fraudulent distributions, including stopping benefits for anyone recorded as being over 115 years old.
In addition, a report from the US Treasury in early January revealed that, while it’s true some improper payments went to deceased individuals, the amount was also significantly smaller than what has been suggested.
Also read: Attention, retirees! Could you lose your Social Security benefits after this date? Find out now!
What experts are saying
Experts suggest that while identifying and eliminating improper payments is important, the claims about hundreds of millions of people receiving Social Security payments at impossible ages should be put into perspective.
Chuck Blahous, a senior research strategist at the Mercatus Center, pointed out that other federal programs, such as Medicaid, face much higher improper payment rates than Social Security.
In fact, Social Security is among the most efficient federal programs when it comes to payment accuracy.
Sita Nataraj Slavov, a public policy expert, warned that incorrect claims about the number of improper payments could lead people to think that fixing Social Security’s financial issues is as simple as cutting fraud.
However, she stressed that the real challenges lie in addressing long-term solvency issues, which will require more than just tackling improper payments.
The administration’s response
The White House has reiterated its dedication to combating fraud and waste within the Social Security system.
“A previous investigation revealed that the SSA paid at least $71.8 billion in improper payments. The Social Security Administration is now focused on uncovering additional waste, fraud, and abuse as part of the Administration’s broader effort to safeguard taxpayer dollars,” said Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson.
Misleading claims about Social Security can cause unnecessary alarm, distract from real issues, and confuse how the system works. Ensuring the long-term stability of the system requires informed discussion and well-considered policy decisions.
Related articles:
Big changes ahead: Social Security payroll tax set to end?
Elon Musk’s dire Social Security warning—what you need to know
What are your thoughts on Social Security and the claims being made? Have you encountered misinformation about the system? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Read next: You won’t believe the shocking answer that left Ryan Seacrest speechless on "Wheel of Fortune!"
