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By Suzanne Blake
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The Social Security Administration has launched a redesigned homepage for beneficiaries to navigate on SSA.gov.
The launch was announced on Monday as a way to make it easier for visitors to find the information they need and complete common tasks online.
Why It Matters
More than 70 million Americans rely on Social Security payments each month, and nearly 40 percent of people over age 65 are estimated to be living in poverty if they went without the government support program.
Read More on Politics
The SSA has undergone many significant changes under the Trump administration. While focusing on technological upgrades, the SSA cut roughly 7,000 jobs from its agency and also shut down field offices.
Despite this, the agency has touted improvements in customer service call wait times in recent months.
What To Know
The relaunched website design aims to offer a more user-friendly layout, according to an email released by the SSA on Monday.
The agency said the new design has increased visibility for my Social Security account sign-up and sign-in, making it easier for users to view benefit estimates, apply for benefits, check application status, or request a replacement card.
“As with any upgrade to a system you want to make it as friendly as possible. The new design is trying to make it very simple to navigate as they know the majority of the people using it will be older,” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. “It places the navigation directly in the face of the end user which should lead to positive results.”
There’s also a Life Events section and webpage to guide customers who are unsure where to start, helping those facing major life changes understand how Social Security can support them and providing entry points to more detailed resources for specific scenarios.
Also, according to the email, the new design features enhanced access to third-party services like employers, appointed representatives, and government agencies.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for the SSA told Newsweek: “Commissioner Bisignano’s vision is straightforward: a Social Security Administration that is easier to access, faster to respond, and better prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow. As part of our plan to support those who prefer the convenience and security of digital service, we have redesigned our website homepage. The focus-group tested and accessible new design more prominently features for all visitors the importance of setting up a my Social Security account.”
The SSA wrote in a public email on Monday: “The homepage encourages online self-service adoption by highlighting how simple it is to use the my Social Security portal. The layout offers a more user-friendly experience, with information organized to meet the diverse needs of our users.”
Thompson told Newsweek: “This aligns with the administrations push for full technological upgrades of the system. Making the design more user friendly and removing the obstacles should help reduce the need to contact the SSA directly which should reduce hold times.”
Drew Powers, the founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek: “The goal of the current administration is to deliver more services online and electronically. The new website and the mySSA portal is has been streamlined to make online servicing more effective, which will allow the SSA to pare back on call center operators and field office staff. The newest Social Security beneficiaries are now 62 to 70 years old, and many in this age range are comfortable with online services. The SSA will have to ensure that their adoption of new technologies does not outpace an older senior citizen’s ability to navigate the web.”
What Happens Next
The website revision will likely make finding answers and connecting beneficiaries with services a faster process, said Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee.
“The redesign of the Social Security's main website is well overdue and accomplishes what many recipients were wanting: a simplified overview of the services offered and quick links to the primary questions and concerns many tend to have,” Beene told Newsweek. “The vast majority of recipients are now digitally literate and are just as well versed on web pages and apps as younger generations. They just want a more streamlined process for locating services that are most in-demand.”
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