Social Security bosses have scrapped a plan to require millions of benefit recipients to use a personal identification number (PIN).
Just weeks ago, the agency told seniors they would need to visit a field office or log in online to get a PIN before August 18 .
Without one they would lose access to basic services like changing their address, checking their claim status, or requesting tax forms.
Now, officials say the Secure Authentication PIN (SAP) system will be optional, not mandatory.
‘The purpose of the feature is to improve the customer experience by providing a convenient and secure method for callers to verify their identity,’ a Social Security Administration spokesperson said.
‘If a caller does not have a ‘my Social Security account’ or chooses not to use the SAP feature, the customer experience will be no different than it is today.
‘They will continue to use the existing authentication methods to verify their identity,’ the spokesperson added.
It is the latest U-turn made by the agency, after it also said it would continue to mail paper checks after previously claiming the practice would stop.
The SSA estimated that the planned changes would have required 3.4 million additional visits to its field offices every year
The abrupt reversal comes after a wave of criticism from seniors, rural residents, and advocacy groups, who said the policy would create chaos — especially for older Americans without internet access or transportation.
‘This will create a significant burden, particularly for those who live in rural areas or have transportation or mobility difficulties,’ Kathleen Romig of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) said after the initial announcement.
‘This will create a significant burden, particularly for those who live in rural areas or have transportation or mobility difficulties,’ Roming argued in a blog post.
‘The Trump administration is rushing these changes with almost no public notice or feedback.’
The SSA itself estimated that the planned changes would have required 3.4 million additional visits to its field offices every year.
The CBPP said its data showed that most Social Security recipients lives at least an hour’s drive from their nearest office.
The AARP sent a letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano requesting he reconsider.
The organization argued that many seniors lack access to a computer or the internet, forcing them into an inconvenient in-person visit.
The SSA previously told all those who receive retirement checks they would need a PIN
Social Security has come under threat from the Trump administration
The introduction of the PIN system was designed to tighten up security and help eliminate alleged fraud in the system.
Claims of Social Security fraud have been perpetuated by President Trump and his former minister Elon Musk.
However, no evidence of widespread fraud has emerged and experts have conversely argued that the SSA is an efficiently and effectively run government agency.
‘The spin that’s being used to justify going after the program, saying that there’s massive fraud, inefficiency and waste; I’ve never seen it and I’m a very close student of Social Security,’ Chris Orestis, founder and President of Retirement Genius, previously told the Daily Mail.
‘It is a well run and lean organization that quite frankly is understaffed for the important role that it plays.’
