The Social Security Administration will continue accepting all types of claims by phone after Monday, reversing a previously announced plan that would have ended phone-based access for certain benefits.
The move comes after concerns raised by community backlash, including AARP Hawaii, about the impact such a change would have — particularly on residents in rural and neighbor island communities.
Keali‘i Lopez, state director of AARP Hawaii, said the decision is a relief for the many local residents who rely on phone services to file their Social Security claims. She emphasized that kupuna and others living in remote areas have grown accustomed to the convenience of phone access, which often spares them long drives to in-person SSA offices.
The agency had initially announced in February that it would eliminate certain phone services while slashing 7,000 jobs and consolidating its 10 regional offices down to four.
AARP expressed concern that these cuts would make it harder for Hawaii residents to access essential services, especially those with limited mobility or transportation options.
While AARP welcomed the decision to maintain phone access, Lopez said the organization is still pushing for broader improvements.
Long wait times — sometimes up to 2-1/2 hours — and inconsistent service continue to be major issues. She pointed to recent outages on the SSA’s website, including a full-day crash on March 31, as signs that the system needs urgent investment.
Lopez said AARP has urged Congress to hold the SSA accountable while also ensuring the agency has adequate resources to hire and train staff. Staffing shortages and high demand have created delays that can significantly affect residents seeking retirement, disability, Medicare or Supplemental Security Income benefits.
As of now it’s unclear whether the SSA will reverse the staffing cuts it announced earlier this year. Lopez said AARP’s focus remains on ensuring the agency has enough trained employees to meet public demand and improve service quality.
Even with phone services remaining in place, she said AARP will continue advocating for shorter wait times and better customer service across the board.
In addition to service delivery concerns, AARP is sounding the alarm on Social Security’s long-term solvency. Lopez said the organization is pressing Congress to take action before automatic benefit reductions are triggered. Current projections estimate that without congressional intervention, monthly benefits could be reduced by about 20% as soon as 2034 or 2035.
Lopez said the longer lawmakers wait, the more disruptive the cuts could be. She emphasized that AARP wants Congress to act well before the projected shortfall hits — not the year prior. While there are no Hawaii-specific impacts tied to the solvency issue yet, Lopez noted that national policy changes, such as eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits, could affect how soon reserves are depleted.
According to the AARP Public Policy Institute, Social Security is a vital lifeline for Hawaii residents and a major contributor to the state’s economy. In 2022 more than 282,000 people in the islands — over 1 in 5 residents — received benefits, injecting more than $4.8 billion annually into the local economy. These payments support not just individuals, but also fuel business activity and job creation.
The majority of beneficiaries in Hawaii — about 225,000 people, or nearly 80% — are retired workers. Another 7.1% receive disability benefits, while spousal, survivor and child beneficiaries make up the remaining 13%.
AARP’s data shows that the program is especially important for preventing poverty among seniors. Between 2018 and 2020, Social Security lifted an estimated 52,000 Hawaii residents age 65 and older out of poverty. Without it more than a quarter of local seniors would fall below the poverty line; with benefits included, that figure drops to just 8.5%.
For many residents Social Security is more than a safety net — it’s their primary income. About 30% of Hawaii residents age 65 and older rely on it for at least half of their income, while 13% depend on it for more than 90%. That reliance is even higher among Black residents in the same age group, with 23% depending on Social Security for the vast majority of their income, compared with 14% of white residents.
In 2022 the average monthly benefit in Hawaii was $1,539 for retired workers and $1,315 for those receiving disability payments — both slightly higher than the national average, according to AARP.
AARP Hawaii said it will continue to advocate for policies that ensure the long-term stability of Social Security and improvements in the quality of service for residents who rely on the program.
