Social Security and Sequestration

As you may have heard in the news, sequester is scheduled to take effect as of March 1, 2013. At this time, it seems mandatory government spending cuts will be implemented to reduce federal spending. Though it has been reported that the Social Security Administration (SSA) will not be affected by cuts, it does not mean it will not be affected at all. The National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) sent out a memo regarding how sequestration will affect SSA. While monthly payments of benefits will not be affected, the budget cuts will affect other aspects of the agency. You may be aware that the SSA has already taken measures to reduce its budget by adjusting its field office hours of operation. With sequestration in affect, the hours of operation will be further impacted. This will result in longer wait times at field offices. This also means that you may have to wait longer for a response to any decisions on your claims.