Before you drive across town to your Social Security office, it’s worth a quick check. As of April 22, the Social Security Administration has temporarily closed offices in 10 states. And the list might surprise you.
The affected states are Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Why Are the Offices Closed?
The SSA hasn’t listed specific reasons for every closure on its website. According to USA Today, some are due to ongoing construction. In other cases, offices appear to be closed because they can’t handle the long lines of people waiting, sometimes stretching outside the building.
The SSA’s site shows the expected duration of each closure and any available alternatives. For example, in Montana, the Glasgow location is only taking telephone appointments from April 28 through April 30. The Havre location is closed for in-person service until further notice.
How to Check if Your Office Is Open
The SSA website has a tool that makes it easy to check your local office. Visit ssa.gov/agency/emergency and click the first letter of your state at the top of the page. That takes you straight to the list for your state, where you can see which locations are closed and for how long.
What to Do if Your Office Is Closed
A closed office doesn’t mean you’re out of options. You can call the SSA’s national phone line at 800-772-1213 to speak with someone and get help.
You can also go online. The SSA has an FAQ tool that walks you through a short questionnaire to determine whether you need an in-person appointment, or if your question can be handled another way.
To use it, search for your local office by zip code, then follow the prompts.
It’s an extra step that people often avoid. But a quick check online before you head out can save you a wasted trip and get your questions answered faster than you might expect.