MW Social Security now says online-authentication rules will be encouraged - but 'entirely optional'

By Angela Moore

The agency is amending filing that would have required extra authentication or in-person visits

The Social Security Administration said Wednesday that it was amending a regulatory filing that would have required increased online-authentication rules for routine services or forced beneficiaries to come into a field office in person if they were unable to handle the process.

Under the original filing, if a beneficiary wanted to make changes to their address, check the status of claims, request benefit-verification letters or ask for tax forms by phone they would have to generate a personal identification number $(PIN.UK)$. The policy would have led to 3.4 million more visits to field offices each year, the SSA estimated in its initial filing.

Read: Social Security wants to make a change that would cause 3.4 million more people to have to visit its field offices

A Social Security spokesperson later said that the use of a security authentication PIN $(SAP)$ is "entirely optional" and it would amend its regulatory filing to reflect that.

The initial filing, which was uploaded on July 18, sparked concern that it would be a significant burden on some Social Security recipients, either for those without access to - or comfort with - technology, or for beneficiaries unable to easily get to a field office.

Nearly 25% of older adults live more than an hour's drive round-trip from their nearest field office, a CBPP study reported last month.

"We are encouraging My Social Security accountholders to use the enhanced SAP feature to quickly and securely verify their identity when calling the national 800 number," an SSA spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The SSA said that beneficiaries calling the 800 number could continue to use the existing identity-verification process. The agency added that online "My Social Security" accountholders wouldn't have to visit a field office if they do not choose to use the SAP feature.

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-Angela Moore

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July 30, 2025 19:06 ET (23:06 GMT)

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