What Social Security Says Changed This Year

On the 91st anniversary of the Social Security Act — signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 14, 1935 — the Social Security Administration released a self-reported scorecard of customer service and cost-control gains. The agency says about 75 million beneficiaries will receive more than $1.6 trillion in payments this year.

The headline number is a sharp drop in call waiting: the national 800-number average speed of answer fell from 34 minutes in fiscal 2024 to 0.6 minutes in July 2026, a 98% reduction. SSA also reports a 0% busy rate over the past four months, a 30% shorter average field office wait while serving 25 million visitors, and more than 104 million my Social Security accounts created.

The agency says its initial disability claims backlog fell more than 30%, from nearly 1.3 million in fiscal 2024 to 884,000 in July 2026, and disability hearing wait times dropped by more than 90 days. It also reports $16 billion in savings from a stronger control environment and an unprecedented reconciliation of the Social Security Number database, updating more than 10% of active numbers.

What the Agency's Numbers Show — and Leave Out

Customer Service Gains Are Real, but Self-Reported

The specific metrics point to a real shift toward digital self-service. Faster phone answer times, lower busy rates and shorter field office waits are consistent with moving more transactions online. But the release does not provide an independent audit, staffing context or methodology for the $16 billion savings figure, so the numbers should be read as agency-reported benchmarks rather than verified results.

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The Political Attribution Complicates the Picture

Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano credited President Donald J. Trump's leadership and his own digital-first strategy. That makes the anniversary message as much a political statement as an operational update. The performance claims may be accurate, but they arrive in a promotional frame with no third-party verification, which limits their usefulness for judging durable improvement.

Why the SSN Update Stands Out

The agency says it reconciled the Social Security Number database for the first time to remove deceased people, update citizenship data and verify individual status. If accurate, that could reduce improper payments and record errors. If rushed, it creates a risk of mistakenly disrupting benefits or flagging valid records.

What Beneficiaries Can Do Right Now

  • Create or check your my Social Security account. The agency says it has completed more than 505 million online transactions this fiscal year and promotes the account as the fastest route to service. If you have not registered, start at ssa.gov/myaccount.
  • Use online channels for disability claims and status checks. The reported improvement in phone wait times may not be permanent, and the agency's stated strategy is digital-first. Online transactions are up 35% from the same period in fiscal 2024, so the account is the most direct way to track a claim.