Real wait times buried: An unpublished draft of the Social Security inspector general report showed total wait times averaged 46 minutes to over 2 hours in 2025 — but this information was deleted after the agency reviewed it, and the published version only showed a different metric claiming under 10-minute waits.

Why Trump fired the inspector general: Nancy Altman of Social Security Works says "now we know why Trump fired the inspector general at Social Security" — the IG was one of several fired at the start of Trump's second term, undermining independent oversight of the agency.

No check on Social Security changes: "Under this administration, the IG has no ability to conduct independent oversight. There is no meaningful check on the Trump administration's Social Security sabotage," Altman said — inspectors general are "the American peoples' eyes and ears in these agencies" but that oversight is being dismantled.

Over 170 reforms underway: SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano created a new SSI Improvement Team in September 2025 working on more than 170 reforms through digital transformation — the goal is to strengthen payment accuracy, streamline processes, and ensure "this lifeline for millions of Americans" reaches those who need it.

Cracking down on improper payments: The agency expanded a program to identify assets that may affect SSI eligibility early — by catching these issues upfront, SSA can make more accurate payments and prevent overpayments that could result in surprise bills later.

Help for institutionalized recipients: SSA created a "decision tree" for SSI recipients in hospitals and care facilities that allows these institutions to process forms and manage SSI payments on residents' behalf — making it easier for vulnerable seniors to maintain their benefits without navigating complex paperwork.

Tax burden increases despite lower income: When a spouse dies, the surviving spouse must shift from "married filing jointly" to "single" status, facing less favorable tax brackets and roughly half the standard deduction — even though total household income decreased, many remain in the same tax bracket (like 22%) on only half the income.

Women hit hardest due to longevity: This tax penalty disproportionately affects women who live on average 5.8 years longer than men and are more likely to be the lower-earning spouse — required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts add to taxable income and can push surviving spouses into higher brackets.

Plan now with Roth conversions: Financial professionals recommend converting traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs while both spouses are alive to reduce future RMDs and tax liabilities — however, some experts argue the actual tax increase is less than 1% of annual income, with the greater financial risk coming from losing a spouse's Social Security benefits.