The House of Representatives recently passed three bills aimed at improving Social Security services, particularly for retirees and identity theft victims. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is supposed to be a resource for Americans, even before they collect Social Security, but its systems can often feel outdated or confusing. Here’s a closer look at each proposed bill.

Clearer Language Around Retirement Claiming Ages

Most people know they can start claiming Social Security retirement benefits at age 62, but some don’t realize that waiting longer usually means a bigger monthly check. And if they choose to hold off for more money, how long should they wait? Only about 10% of claimants decide to wait until the full retirement age of 70, which can significantly increase their lifetime benefit.

A new bipartisan bill called the Claiming Age Clarity Act seeks to change how these ages are described. The goal is to make the tradeoffs easier to understand. If the bill passes:

• Age 62 would be called the “minimum monthly benefit age” rather than the current “early eligibility age.”
• Full retirement age (typically 66 or 67) would be called the “standard monthly benefit age.”
• Age 70 would be called the “maximum monthly benefit age.”

This change wouldn’t affect how benefits are calculated. It’s simply about making the language clearer, so retirees can make better-informed choices.

Better Help for Identity Theft Victims

If your Social Security number is stolen or your card goes missing, dealing with the SSA can be frustrating. As it stands, victims often have to deal with multiple points of contact at the SSA, explaining their situation over and over.

The proposed Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act aims to fix that. It would require the SSA to assign a single point of contact to each identity theft case. That way, the SSA employee handling a specific case knows the situation, and the victim won’t need to start from scratch every time they call. This approach could save the victim time, stress, and further financial damage. The bill has bipartisan support in the Senate.

New Protections for Children’s Social Security Numbers

In 2022, a Javelin Strategy & Research study found that 915,000 children were victims of identity fraud in a single year. The average cost per household? $1,128. It also took an average of16 hours to resolve the issue.

The proposed Social Security Child Protection Act aims to tackle the problem early. It would require the SSA to issue a new Social Security number to any child under age 14 if their card is lost or stolen. Right now, the SSA typically waits until the child becomes a victim of fraud before replacing their number.

By issuing new numbers earlier, the bill hopes to prevent identity theft before thieves can use a child’s personal data.