Life is full of change. Sometimes, change can be welcome and necessary, and other times, it can feel overwhelming and even scary – especially when change brings the unknown. Political change can certainly fall into that category. Recently, the shift from the Biden to the Trump Administration has brought countless changes to many aspects of government, and the Social Security Administration is no exception. As a result, many people wonder how the Trump Administration’s changes might affect their disability benefits and what steps, if any, can be taken to protect those benefits.
Capping the Clawbacks
If you watch or listen to the news regularly, you may recently have heard the term “clawback” in connection with Social Security benefits. In this context, a “clawback” means an attempt to recover Social Security overpayment of benefits of one kind or another.
Often, overpayments occur because of miscalculations on the part of the Social Security Administration because of untimely beneficiary updates. This can include failure to report income, marital changes, or changes in health status that might disqualify someone from disability benefits. Regardless of the reason, the Social Security Administration will attempt to recover overpayments once they are made.
Earlier this year, the Social Security Administration announced a policy shift, declaring that the benefits of those who had been overpaid would be withheld at a rate of 100%, or completely, until the overpayment was repaid. This had actually been the policy of the SSA for some time prior to 2024. In 2024, the “clawback” rate had been reduced to only 10%.
Understandably, this caused some amount of panic for those who receive benefits and may have received an overpayment. Having benefits completely withheld created great difficulty for those who relied upon those benefits as their only source of income.
Ultimately, however, the 100% clawback rate was short-lived. In an emergency message in late April of 2025, the Social Security Administration indicated that the default withholding rate would instead be adjusted to 50% instead of 100%. At this time, the Trump Administration has not indicated that they will adjust the rate again in the near future – although it could happen.
Fortunately, because of how the Social Security program is structured, overpayments rarely happen. As a result, clawbacks will not be a concern for most. Nevertheless, the fear of losing income that is important to you and your family is reasonable, and it’s understandable to want to stay informed and to do what you can to protect yourself and the benefits you need and deserve.
Additional Trump Administration Changes
Initially, at the beginning of the Trump Administration, there was also some concern that President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, would make cuts and changes to the Social Security Administration that would negatively impact the benefits that disabled individuals and others receive. To date, however, benefits have continued without interruption.
Another significant change made by the Trump Administration concerns identity verification. The new administration now requires both new and existing beneficiaries to either verify their identity online or have their IDs verified in person. These changes are intended to address and ideally reduce the potential for fraudulent claims and improper payments. There are concerns, however, that this could make it difficult for vulnerable populations to continue receiving the benefits they need and deserve. This may include older individuals who may not have ready access to technology that allows for online verification, and other portions of the population who may not readily be able to appear in person for verification when required.
Certainly, the Trump Administration has made many changes to a variety of programs in the first six months, and Social Security is no exception. There may be additional changes, and anticipating what’s to come and how to react may seem overwhelming and confusing. That’s understandable. The good news is, you don’t have to feel that way alone. Although no one can predict the future, knowledgeable and experienced attorneys can help you react to the changes that occur and protect your rights as much as possible. At Muse Disability, we’re here for you.
Call Muse Disability Today
At Muse Disability, we know that if you’re disabled, your disability benefits are likely an essential part of your financial security. Being unable to work can be stressful, and understandably, you want to do all you can to protect the benefits you need and deserve. If you are worried about how you’ll be able to do that, you don’t need to worry and wonder alone. At Muse Disability, we’re here to help. We know and understand every aspect of the law pertaining to disability benefits, and we’re ready to put that knowledge to work for you. If you’re ready to get started, give us a call today. We look forward to speaking with you soon.