Disaster Manual: Section 7 – Social Security, Banking, and Financial Issues

Federal laws, guidance, regulations, and policies are changing rapidly in 2025. Double-check any federal government-related information with official government sources, keeping in mind that those sources themselves may change rapidly. Talk to a lawyer for the latest information.

The Social Security Administration (“SSA”) closed all local, hearing, and regional offices to in-person visitors on March 17, 2020, due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. However, SSA has now reopened the majority of offices to in-person business. All offices allowing in-person visits allow visits without appointments, however appointments are still suggested. Additionally, most in-person business such as interviews, appointments, and hearings can still be conducted remotely over the telephone or via MS Teams.

SSA recognizes that COVID-19 office closures and difficulties in contacting SSA during that time resulted in a large number of overpayments of SSA benefits during the pandemic. To address these issues, SSA has recently revised its overpayment waiver process. If you received an overpayment for incorrect SSA benefits payments made during the COVID-19 pandemic or as a result of challenges you faced reporting changes in circumstances to SSA due to COVID-19, you may be eligible for waiver of that overpayment. You should tell SSA about any COVID-19 related challenges that contributed to creating the overpayment or prevented you from reporting information to SSA during the public health emergency.

Additionally, SSA will now automatically waive most overpayments of less than $2,000 upon request by the overpaid individual. You can request a waiver of your overpayment by completing a Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery form (SSA-632) and submitting it to your local SSA office.

Report any changes that may affect your SSI as soon as possible and no later than ten days after the end of the month in which the change occurred. Some of the changes that need to be reported:

• Change in living arrangements.
• Change of address.
• Change in earned and unearned income, including a change in wages or net earnings from self- employment, including your spouse’s income if you are married and living together, and parents’ income if applying for a child.
• Change in resources including your spouse’s resources, if you are married and living together, and parents’ resources if applying for a child.
• Death of spouse or anyone in your household.
• Change in marital status (including any same-sex relationships).

Q. 7-1 How can I conduct business with SSA, such as file a new application for benefits or report changes?

Most SSA business can be conducted online or over the telephone. This includes filing new applications for some types of benefits, appealing SSA determinations, and updating personal information. To see a complete list of what business can be conducted online, please visit the SSA’s website. If you are unable to perform a desired task online, you can still conduct most business with SSA over the telephone. Sometimes this will require SSA to mail you paperwork that you complete and mail back. Any documents that you mail to SSA should be mailed as certified mail with return receipt requested to ensure that they are received on time. To contact SSA over the phone, please call 1-800-772-1213.

Q. 7-2 Can I still apply for benefits?

Yes. SSA is still accepting new applications for benefits and we encourage anyone who may be eligible to apply as soon as possible. If you need to apply for benefits, you can either complete an application online or contact SSA over the telephone at 1-800-772-1213 and ask to file an application.

Q. 7-3 What if I have an appointment or hearing scheduled with SSA?

If you have an in-person appointment or hearing scheduled with SSA, you should review the hearing procedure guidelines provided with your hearing notice or contact the SSA hearing office to find out about any specific COVID-19 safety protocols that still remain in place.

Q. 7-4 I received a notice or letter from SSA asking me to provide information or appeal a decision if I disagree. Do I need to respond by the stated deadline?

Yes. You should file all responses within the stated deadlines. This is the only way to ensure that your filing is accepted. Most appeals can be filed online without a visit to your local SSA office.