Question: Auwe! You already can’t walk into the Social Security office (appointment needed) and now they are going to limit phone calls? This is getting ridiculous!
Answer: The Social Security Administration has backed off a preliminary plan, first reported by the Washington Post, that would have prevented the filing of retirement and disability claims by phone, which the Trump administration was reportedly considering to root out alleged fraud. Elderly and disabled people would have instead been directed to process their claims online or in person (by appointment) at a SSA field office, dozens of which nationwide are expected to close under cost-cutting by the U.S. DOGE Service.
SSA, which says on its website that “recent reports in the media that Social Security plans to eliminate telephone services are inaccurate,” is moving ahead, however, to limit certain telephone transactions. Specifically, it will no longer allow callers to change over the phone the bank account to which their benefits are deposited.
Anyone who needs to change the direct-deposit information SSA has on file will have to use two- factor authentication with SSA’s online “my Social Security” service or visit a local office to prove their identity, the agency says on its website. All other telephone services remain unchanged, it said.
“SSA continuously investigates and analyzes potential threats to strengthen and secure our programs and protect people who receive benefits. Approximately 40% of Social Security direct deposit fraud is associated with someone calling SSA to change direct-deposit bank information. SSA’s current protocol of simply asking identifying questions by telephone is no longer enough to prevent fraud,” it said.
Q: Auwe! Social Security said it would issue retroactive payments for the WEP/GPO repeal starting in February, but I haven’t gotten anything.
A: The Social Security Administration has said that most beneficiaries due retroactive benefits under the Social Security Fairness Act will receive a one-time retroactive payment by the end of March, deposited to the bank account the SSA has on file. However, complex cases that must be processed by hand will take longer; you may fall in that category.
As of March 7, 11,855 people in Hawaii had received retroactive payments totaling more than $64 million, including 411 people in your ZIP code (96816), who received a total of more than $2.3 million, according to SSA’s website. Tables there list retroactive payments by state, region and ZIP code.
Retroactive payments cover increased benefit amounts dating back to January 2024, the month the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset expired.
More than 3 million Social Security beneficiaries worldwide are affected by the law. Overall, the agency says it has processed about 2 million of the adjustments, using automated processes.
Q: My green card expires in September 2025, and when I went to the USCIS website to download the I-90 form, there is an alert that the validity has been extended for 36 months. Does this mean that I don’t have to renew until 2028? I wasn’t quite sure.
A: A longer version of the alert at 808ne.ws/ 3XTfMQS explains that lawful permanent residents who properly file Form I-90 to renew an expiring or expired Green Card may receive this extension. Form I-90 is the application to replace a permanent resident card, also known as a Green Card; it is processed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. We emailed you the full alert and you followed up to say that you did submit your I-90 and have now received the 36-month extension.
Mahalo
Mahalo to the person or persons who kindly paid for our lunches at Cafe Kaila recently. That was such a pleasant surprise! Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. Many blessings to you! — Two grateful seniors
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
