Social Security is a crucial source of income for seniors.
The Social Security Administration reports that benefits provide about 31% of the income of people over 65, and around 12% of men and 15% of women 65 and older get 90% or more of their income from Social Security.
Retirees who depend on these benefits, and workers who will need them in the future, need to know of any threats to Social Security’s future.
Unfortunately, as billionaire Mark Cuban has repeatedly warned, serious issues with Social Security can result in hidden cuts to benefits.
Here’s the problem Cuban has highlighted, along with details on how it could affect vulnerable retirees who need their Social Security checks.
The Social Security Administration scaled down a key support for recipients.
Shutterstock
Mark Cuban has warned this is a hidden cut to Social Security
Mark Cuban has repeatedly sounded the alarm about Social Security changes that he believes will result in a hidden cut to benefits.
“The administration is removing phone support for Social Security recipients,” he said on Bluesky last year. “[This is] making it more difficult for seniors to get their checks. It’s a back-door way to cut SS benefits. Horrific.”
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He also posted a warning on X regarding the impact of changes to Social Security’s phone support program.
“Got to give Doge credit for being the first to cut entitlements. End telephone support for Social Security, cut dozens of SS offices and make Grandma and Grandpa finally get online to confirm their payments. What an amazing back door way to cut payments! Gonna be some upset seniors at town halls!”
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Cuban’s warning is especially relevant, given recent Social Security changes
The Administration reversed (at least temporarily) its efforts to end phone support amid public outcry.
Still, Cuban’s warning matters: Social Security has dramatically reduced the number of staff members available to help seniors and is now changing the way in which retirees access support.
Related: AARP sounds alarm on major Social Security problem
The Center for American Progress released a report in January 2026 that reveals the total number of cuts to Social Security staff. These include the following.
- Between President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January and November of 2025, the staff at Social Security was reduced by more than 11%, with 6,645 people leaving the agency.
- In 33 states, the Social Security Administration saw a huge staff reduction, with 10% fewer workers in 2025 compared with 2024.
- Some states saw bigger cuts, with Wyoming losing 19% of staff in 2025 and Missouri and Wisconsin each losing 14%.
- Some rural field offices had to close entirely due to staffing cuts, and others lost at least a quarter of their staff.
When staff members are cut and options for support are eroded, this ends up serving as a de facto cut to benefits, because seniors can’t get the help they need to claim their benefits or to understand the full range of benefits to which they are entitled.
Social Security is changing workflows starting March 7
With staff layoffs already an issue, Social Security is also moving forward with changes this year that will alter the way work is performed. This could also hurt benefits.
Morningstar reported that the agency’s reduced workforce will now be responsible for handling cases on a nationwide basis instead of claims being handled within local field offices. The agency is launching a National Appointment Scheduling Center and National Workload Management, so customer issues will be routed nationwide instead of being resolved locally.
“They can’t make up for the loss of 7,000 staff with this method,” Wendell Primus, visiting fellow, Center on Health Policy at the independent think tank Brookings Institution, told Morningstar. “Even before all the changes, we needed more staff. We had backlogs. This is boneheaded and stupid.”
Regardless of these concerns, this is the path Social Security has taken, and those handling calls nationwide may not be familiar with local rules that will affect claimants.
As Cuban has warned, this could very well mean retirees can’t fully access benefits, jeopardizing their economic well-being.
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