Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is now focusing its energies on making Social Security records cleaner. The agency recently announced major reforms aimed at cleaning up old records listing millions of people as living—though long over 120 years old. The effort is intended to make information accurate and eliminate error that could be fueling government waste.
What is DOGE doing with Social Security records?
DOGE reports that Social Security records have for decades been filled with out-of-date or false data. The agency found that:
- Over 3.2 million Social Security number holders aged 120 and above had earlier been recorded as deceased in the past fortnight.
- 9.5 million Social Security numbers assigned to people over the age of 120 years are still active.
The purpose of this clearance is to confirm that Social Security records are accurate and current. Dead individuals can be removed from the books through this process by DOGE so that errors are reduced and fraud is reduced, thus guaranteeing effectiveness in government benefit programs.
Why is this Social Security cleanup happening now?
Elon Musk and DOGE took an interest in the Social Security Administration’s records after reports suggested that millions of individuals listed as over 100 years old were still active in the system. In February, Musk shared a spreadsheet showing a large number of people with “death field set to FALSE,” meaning their records showed no date of death.
Musk even joked about the situation, saying, “Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security.”
This effort is part of Musk’s broader push to reduce waste and fraud in government spending. He believes that removing outdated records from the system could free up resources for people who actually need Social Security benefits.
Is Social Security fraud really a big issue?
While there have been cases of Social Security fraud in the past, experts say the issue is often exaggerated. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has clarified that just because someone does not have a date of death in their records does not mean they are fraudulently collecting benefits.
Here are some key facts:
- Of the 67 million Americans receiving Social Security, only about 53,000 are actually over the age of 100.
- The SSA has a policy of automatically stopping payments to anyone listed as being 115 years or older.
- A government report found that between 2015 and 2022, improper Social Security payments totaled about $71.8 billion, which is less than 1 percent of the $8.6 trillion in total benefits paid during that period.
According to financial literacy expert Alex Beene, “Social Security fraud certainly exists, but the claims it is rampant because a database had many recipients who were supposedly aged at well over 100 years old is not evidence it is widespread.”
How will this cleanup affect Social Security recipients?
For most people who receive Social Security, this housekeeping will not have any direct impact. However, it could help:
- Reduce administrative errors, with benefits being paid correctly.
- Enhance governmental effectiveness, making sure records are precise.
- Reduce fraud, if any older records were used in a wrongful manner.
The SSA stated that it will continue to work to improve its record-keeping to prevent such errors from happening in the future.
What happens next?
DOGE says it will continue reviewing and updating Social Security records. More outdated numbers will likely be removed in the coming weeks. Musk has also suggested that further improvements in government systems could increase benefits for citizens and improve healthcare quality by eliminating waste.
