The Continuing Social Security “Offices Closed” Saga
As our posts on this site have noted frequently in the past few months, the continued unavailability of Social Security field offices for walk-in traffic is a concern to many. See our May 19 post as an example, wherein Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA), Ranking Member Subcommittee on Government Operations, urged the Federal workforce “to return to the fullest possible degree to its normal places of work.” In his letter, Rep. Hice cited the negative consequences of prolonged inability to interact directly and face-to-face with critical services, with Social Security beneficiaries being a classic example of a subset of the population that may not have the ability or expertise to deal with a virtual service platform. Despite Rep. Hice’s appeal–and several others–the Social Security Administration website reports that offices are closed to the public for in-person service, and the public is directed to “first try to use our online services before calling us.”
The field offices do offer in-person assistance by appointment only, and a post by gobankingrates.com’s Georgina Tzanetos explains the process through which you can locate the correct office and request such an appointment. But there is an alternative that may serve you better…the non-profit AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory Service. This program–available at no charge to the general public–features a staff of trained and National Social Security Association-accredited advisors equipped to respond to your questions and help you navigate the complexities of Social Security. Learn more about this popular service via the Foundation’s website, or simply telephone the Foundation office at 888-750-2622. You can also email your question to [email protected].