Recent claims by former President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk suggest that millions of deceased individuals—some over 100 years old—are still receiving Social Security benefits. If true, this would mean massive fraud, waste, or mismanagement in the Social Security Administration (SSA).
However, the reality is far less dramatic than these claims suggest. While some improper payments do occur, the scale is significantly smaller than what’s being reported. Let’s break down the facts, what’s really happening, and how the SSA is addressing these issues.
Social Security Checks Shocking Claim
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Trump’s Claim | “Millions of dead people are getting Social Security checks” |
| Musk’s Claim | “Over 20 million individuals aged 100+ exist in SSA records” |
| Reality | Some outdated records exist, but improper payments are rare |
| Total SSA Payouts (2015-2022) | $8.6 trillion |
| Improper Payments (2015-2022) | $71.8 billion (less than 1%) |
| Number of Records Without Death Info | 18.9 million (but most aren’t receiving payments) |
| Government Recovery Efforts | $31 million recovered in 5 months, $215 million projected by 2026 |
| Main Cause of Errors | Outdated data, incomplete death records, and legacy software |
Official SSA Website for Social Security policy and payments.
The short answer: No. While Social Security records contain many outdated entries, the actual number of deceased individuals receiving payments is extremely small. The real issue is delayed death reporting, outdated technology, and clerical errors, not large-scale fraud.
The SSA and government agencies are already working on solutions—and they’ve recovered millions of dollars in recent years. While fraud should always be taken seriously, the idea that millions of dead people are collecting checks is a myth.
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Shocking Claim: Are Millions of Dead People Really Receiving Social Security Benefits?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for issuing payments to retired, disabled, and surviving beneficiaries. With more than 70 million Americans receiving benefits, mistakes do happen, but not at the scale being claimed.
- Trump’s Claim: At a recent press briefing, Trump suggested that “millions and millions of people over 100 years old” were still receiving benefits.
- Musk’s Statement: Musk pointed to SSA records showing 20 million individuals aged 100+, implying large-scale fraud.
These statements imply that millions of deceased individuals are fraudulently receiving Social Security payments. But let’s look at the facts.
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Shocking Claim: What’s Really Happening? The Truth Behind the Numbers
Outdated Records, Not Fraud
The Social Security database contains records of people who lived well over 100 years ago, but that doesn’t mean they’re actively receiving payments. Many of these individuals were recorded before modern database updates were implemented.
Why Do These Records Exist?
- The SSA uses COBOL, an outdated programming language, which sometimes assigns default ages (150+) when birth records are incomplete.
- Some records were never updated, meaning people who died decades ago still exist in the database, but they are not receiving checks.
How Many People Are Actually Getting Improper Payments?
According to a 2023 SSA audit, approximately 18.9 million records lacked official death documentation. However, “almost none” of these individuals were actually receiving Social Security benefits.
SSA Inspector General’s Report (2015-2022):
- Total Social Security Payments: $8.6 trillion
- Improper Payments (Overpayments, Deceased, or Mistakes): $71.8 billion (~0.8%)
- Fraudulent Payments to the Deceased: A small fraction of improper payments
These mistakes do exist, but the real percentage is much lower than what Trump and Musk implied.
The Government Is Already Fixing These Issues: The SSA and the U.S. Treasury Department have systems in place to identify and recover improper payments.
- Recent Recovery Efforts:
- $31 million was recovered in a five-month period in 2024.
- $215 million is expected to be recovered by 2026.
In other words, these errors are being actively fixed—not ignored.
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Shocking Claim: Why Do These Mistakes Happen?
The biggest causes of these issues include:
Outdated Software & Systems
- The SSA still relies on COBOL, a programming language from the 1960s.
- Many records were never digitized properly, leading to data gaps.
Delayed Death Reporting
- The SSA does not directly track deaths. It relies on reports from family members, funeral homes, or government agencies.
- If a death goes unreported, payments might continue for a short period.
Name & Identity Confusion
- Some improper payments aren’t due to fraud but because of name mismatches (e.g., Jr. vs. Sr. or maiden vs. married names).
- The same person may be listed twice, making it appear as if payments are going to the deceased.
Shocking Claim: What Experts Say About the Claims
Chuck Blahous (Mercatus Center, Social Security Expert)
“Yes, we should go after improper payments, but let’s not pretend this is the biggest financial problem in the system.”
Sita Nataraj Slavov (George Mason University)
“The real danger here is misleading people into thinking Social Security’s problems are just about fraud, when the bigger issue is long-term funding.”
Shocking Claim (FAQs)
Does Social Security Really Pay Millions to Dead People?
No. While there are outdated records, the vast majority of deceased individuals do not receive checks. Cases of payments to dead people are rare and often quickly corrected.
How Much Money Is Lost to Improper Payments?
Less than 1% of total SSA payments are flagged as improper. Most overpayments go to living individuals, not the deceased.
Why Do People Think There’s Fraud?
Political figures sometimes exaggerate issues to highlight government inefficiencies. While mistakes happen, they are not as widespread as claimed.
What Is the Government Doing About It?
The U.S. Treasury and SSA actively monitor and reclaim payments sent to the deceased. Recent efforts have recovered millions of dollars.
