The Social Security Administration (SSA) has officially responded to a recent high-profile claim made by Elon Musk, now head of President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying that “tens of millions” of deceased people are still marked as alive in SSA records, calling it a “HUGE problem.”
But the SSA says that this is not true and that the data is very accurate, despite rare human errors.
SSA Explains How Death Data Is Handled
In a recent press release, the SSA explained how it receives and updates death records. Each year, the agency receives over 3 million death reports from:
- State governments
- Family members
- Funeral homes
- Banks and other financial institutions
The SSA says that less than 0.33% of these reports involve errors, most of which are mistaken reports of living people being declared dead, not deceased people remaining listed as alive.
“Instances when a person is mistakenly reported as dead can be devastating,” said the SSA, noting that it can disrupt benefits for the individual, spouse, and children.
Real-Life Example: Mistaken Death Declaration
One such case involved 82-year-old Ned Johnson, who was mistakenly marked as dead. His monthly benefits were cut, and $5,201 was removed from his bank account, according to a report by The Seattle Times. While these mistakes are rare, they can cause serious financial stress and take time to correct.
SSA’s Safeguards and Automated System
To reduce errors, the SSA uses an automated system that flags and ends benefits for anyone over 115 years old—a policy in place since 2015. The agency also pointed out that only 0.1% of all 67 million beneficiaries are over 100 years old.
This is part of SSA’s ongoing effort to ensure that deceased individuals are correctly removed from its records.
What To Do If You’re Concerned
If you’re worried about errors in your Social Security record or think you may have been wrongly declared deceased, the SSA recommends the following steps:
- Log into your mySocialSecurity account to check your records
- Call the SSA toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 for help
- Visit your local SSA office with valid ID if you need to correct an error
- SSA can issue a proof-of-life correction letter to help update your status with banks or government agencies
Watch Out for Social Security Scams
The SSA also warned of an increase in scammers pretending to be SSA agents. To protect yourself:
- Only use the official SSA website or phone number
- Be cautious with emails or phone calls asking for personal information
- Never share your Social Security number unless you are sure it’s a trusted source
- If in doubt, talk to a licensed financial advisor or contact SSA directly