The Social Security Administration is proposing steep reductions to in-person field office visits in 2026. This is according to an internal operating plan obtained by The Associated Press.
The document outlines a goal of cutting field office traffic by 50% next year, limiting visits to no more than 15 million. Field offices recorded more than 31.6 million visitors from October 2024 through September 2025.
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The SSA’s website lists a series of cuts and closures already planned for 2025, including several offices vacated in April. The agency projected about $13 million in annual rent savings from those closures.
Despite the reductions, an administration spokesperson said field offices “are, and will always remain, our front-line, providing in-person services to the approximately 75 million Americans who receive monthly payments and more than 330 million Americans with Social Security numbers,” a point the commissioner has “reiterated countless times” since taking office.
The 2026 plan would also require all requested appointments to be scheduled within 30 days, a significant change from the current rate, in which 78.3% of appointments meet that timeline.
Administration reverses decision on policy change
The SSA drew attention in November after reversing a proposed policy change that could have limited disability benefits for hundreds of thousands of older Americans. Under existing rules, age is a key factor in determining disability eligibility, with applicants over 50 more likely to qualify because they are considered less able to adjust to new types of work.
The Washington Post reported that the administration had considered removing age from the disability review process entirely or raising the age threshold to 60 — proposals disability advocates warned could sharply reduce benefits for older workers with significant physical impairments.
