Earlier this week I met with a financial planner to consider my retirement options (I'm not retiring, but at 66, I need to be prepared). One outcome of that meeting was that I set up an online account with the Social Security Administration (ssa.gov). I went through the entire security profile and created a username and password. I did the research I wanted, and signed out.

Today, I wanted to find out some more of my details, and found that I could not access my account. I went to https://secure.ssa.gov and entered my credentials, only to receive a message, "An account can not be found. You may select the 'Create An Account' button below to create an account."

I use a secure password manager, so I double-checked my credentials. Tried several time, using my email address instead of my username, etc. Always received the same error message.

So I tried the "forgot username" link, entered my data and received a login page with my username and password filled in for me. You'd think clicking the Sign In button work now work, yes? No. Same error message.

So I tried the "forgot password" link, and did the same thing. This time, there is a Next button, which I clicked. "We cannot verify the information you provided. Please correct your information and try again." Excuse me? I know my SSN and date of birth, all that's left is my username -- which the site just validated!

After several attempts, SSA has "suspended electronic access to your personal information." Huh? It's ***MY*** personal information!

Now I have to get on the phone with some overpaid, underworked gubmint drone to find out exactly how they managed to screw up something that even a teenage website designer couldn't screw up.

Argh!

Edited to add: I called the number given (1-800-772-1213) and as instructed, said "Help Desk." The response I got was: "my social security help desk. All of our agents are busy. Please call back later."

And we pay dearly for this shit!

Try a different browser?

ISTR running into the same problem with SSA's site. I had to talk to a Real Person to get it straightened-out.

I haven't tried logging in again, lately.

You could ask the same questions about any number of government agencies with the same problem. They employ the same people meeting the same standards.

I've found that some large companies have a similar problem so it may just be that very large bureaucracies tend to have the same low standards.

Yep it is not just the Government. Most financial institutions and insurance companies are the same. Part of the problem is with the built in security features. Two factor authentication and the like. I experience this sort of thing on a regular basis.

The fact that all agents are busy means lots of folks are having similar problems.

I'm an insurance agent selling MA and PDP plans for a private company, you probably never will get an answer at that number, call your local office.

You are correct, this issue will be a tough one to fix, talking to these people on a near daily basis, as well as correcting my customers who have been given wrong information from them is a real headache.

When we created our SSA online accounts, we had to lift the credit freezes we had in place. Evidently SSA needs to access one's credit history to open the account. Do you by chance have fraud alerts or credit freezes in place at Equifax, etc.?

FWIW, I've never had a problem with collecting SS and accessing my account. I started 14 months ago when I turned 66, did it all thru the www site w/o ever visiting the office which is three miles away.

I'm certainly not saying SSA is prefect, but for me they're been amazingly efficient.

I had the same issue. I wanted set up my account before a thief did (Equifax hack). Finally got a human that actually knew her shit & got me together.

All are long term GOV employees that cannot be fired so yes they all suck.

I've had to call SSA several times on the phone. I found they were quick to answer questions, would give you their full name and phone number to call back with any more questions. This is the one government agency that seemed like they knew what they were doing. I might have gotten lucky with the calls I made, but as I said, my experience with them was very good.

quote:

Is the SSA as inept as the IRS?

I've never dealt with the IRS so can't answer your question but I can say that that the SSA web site, as well as the Medicare portal, have been easy to navigate, both for enrollment as well as follow-up work. My wife's experiences have been the same.

I personally went down to the SSA office and sat down with an agent to discuss case.

Tried to phone them, but wait was too long.

I frequent SSA headquarters in Woodlawn, MD.

In answer to the OPs question...yes yes and...yes.