How Trump May Affect Social Security Benefits

Ask the Los Angeles Social Security Attorneys:
What Effect Will Trump’s Administration Have on Social Security?

social security lawyers anaheimWith the new administration taking over the reins this month, many people are wondering what effect the Trump administration will have on Social Security Benefits.

As experienced Los Angeles Social Security attorneys who have represented thousands of injured workers, the prognosis for any positive changes to Social Security does not look good.

Hiring Freeze May Lengthen Social Security Hearing Backlog

There are already terrible hearing backlogs for Social Security determinations. Prior to Trump taking office, the waiting for a hearing and determination could take up to a year. Which is already an eternity for someone who has been disabled and needs their Social Security Disability to support themselves and their family.

However Trump has put in place a hiring freeze on all Federal employment positions. Experts and news agencies alike predict that this will make the Social Security hearing delays much longer than they already are.

Past Social Security Agency Head Kenneth Apfel has stated that “I think it’s going to be pretty devastating…To better serve the American public, the Social Security Administration needs more budget and staff resources, not less.”

Judge Marilyn Zahm, president of the Association of Administrative Law Judges union, adds: “There may be a hiring freeze on federal employment, but there’s no freeze on people getting older, people getting sicker, people having injuries and accidents, and people needing disability insurance.”

Federal Spending Cuts & Social Security Disability

Trump’s federal spending cuts, as well as the new Republican backed budget, may also spell trouble for disabled individuals’ Social Security Claims. Currently the Social Security Administration is in the middle of a wide-ranging IT infrastructure modernization project. The sweeping project – headed by the Obama Administration’s SSA Chief Information Officer Rob Klopp – is geared toward updating how Social Security records are collected and processed – and is aimed at speeding up the claims process.

Last year, under Klopp, the Social Security Administration launched “Health IT” – an electronic medical document submission process that takes months off of the time it previously took to collect applicant’s medical records. This was a huge step toward streamlining the medical review process, and reducing hearing wait times. However, it is unlikely Trump will keep Klopp on as CIO, so he can continue with this modernization initiative.

Additionally, funding for the “Modernizing Government Technology Act” and the $3.1 billion IT Modernization Fund proposed by President Barack Obama remains up in the air and very uncertain under the Trump administration.

So it is unlikely that the improvements that were started under President Obama to speed up the Social Security Disability hearing process will be able to advance any further under the new administration.

Will Trump Cut Social Security Benefits?

Finally, on the campaign trail, Trump pledged not to cut Social Security. But, frighteningly, Trump’s nominee for budget director, Representative Mick Mulvaney, is a huge proponent of making Social Security and Medicare cuts.

The conservative Mulvaney, when questioned by Republicans and Democrats during his confirmation, stood firmly behind his long-held views on cutting Social Security & Medicare – and he said he would not shy away from presenting those views, even if they contradicted the president’s position.

Our Los Angeles Area Social Security Attorneys Can Help

In light of this uncertainty, if you are disabled and considering filing for Social Security Disability benefits, our experienced Los Angeles Social Security attorneys urge you: do not delay.

Our experienced Los Angeles Area Social Security Attorneys will offer you a FREE CONSULTATION to make sure that you are doing everything possible to speed up your Social Security Disability claim – and make sure that you have the very best chance of being approved for Social Security Disability benefits.

Los Angeles Area Social Security Attorneys: 800-964-8047

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