A recent report by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has uncovered that the Social Security Administration (SSA) database included more than 12 million individuals aged 120 years and older who were marked as deceased. This startling revelation sheds light on outdated data, legacy system challenges, and ongoing federal efforts to clean up records and prevent misuse.
The Scale of the Cleanup
According to the DOGE report, a massive data review led to the identification and removal of approximately 12.3 million Social Security number holders who were categorized as being 120 years old or older and marked as deceased. The breakdown includes:
- 3.3 million people aged 120–129
- 3.9 million aged 130–139
- 3.5 million aged 140–149
- 1.3 million aged 150–159
- 124,000 aged 160–169
These numbers are significant and highlight the presence of implausible ages within SSA records.
Why Are Such Records Present?
The Social Security Administration manages one of the largest federal databases containing personal records, benefit information, and vital statistics. However, the agency still uses legacy systems, some written in the programming language COBOL, that date back decades. These older systems often lack updated death records for many individuals, resulting in some people remaining in the system without recorded dates of death.
This gap can cause inflated counts of living beneficiaries and can contribute to erroneous data showing people living well beyond known human lifespans.
Impact on Social Security Benefits
Despite these findings, most of the individuals listed at these extreme ages were not actively receiving benefits. SSA audits have consistently found that improper payments constitute less than 1% of total Social Security disbursements. When errors are identified, corrective action is usually taken promptly.
Still, there have been cases where errors have impacted living individuals. For example, an 82-year-old man was mistakenly declared deceased due to a data error, leading to a temporary suspension of his benefits before the mistake was rectified.
Federal Efforts to Modernize Data
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been tasked with enhancing the accuracy of federal records, including Social Security data. Their recent effort to cleanse the SSA database by removing outdated or inaccurate entries is part of a broader initiative to modernize government IT infrastructure and reduce vulnerabilities to fraud.
The cleanup aims to prevent fraudulent claims and misuse of benefits that could arise from outdated information. By removing records with implausible ages, the government hopes to improve trust in the system and better allocate resources to eligible individuals.
Challenges and Criticism
Critics argue that aggressive data purges risk accidentally removing legitimate records or causing confusion for beneficiaries. Legacy systems can be complex and intertwined with many other federal databases, increasing the difficulty of safely updating or removing entries.
Furthermore, the sheer scale of data means errors are inevitable, making thorough checks essential to avoid disrupting payments to living individuals.
What Does This Mean for You?
For most Social Security recipients, this data cleanup will have no direct impact. The SSA continues to verify beneficiary status regularly and relies on updated death records from states and other official sources.
If you receive Social Security benefits, it’s important to keep your information current with the SSA and promptly notify them of any changes, including changes in address or personal status. This helps reduce errors and ensures timely benefit payments.
Official Sources and Verification
The Social Security Administration provides detailed information about how it manages death records and beneficiary data. You can learn more about SSA’s processes and how to report deaths or errors directly from their official website: Social Security Administration – Reporting a Death.
For an overview of the federal government’s IT modernization efforts, including improving data accuracy and security, visit the U.S. Government’s Digital Service page at: US Digital Service.
Conclusion
The removal of over 12 million records of people aged 120 and older from Social Security databases highlights the significant challenges faced by federal agencies in maintaining accurate data. While this cleanup is a critical step toward modernizing government systems and preventing fraud, it also reveals the complexities involved in managing decades-old legacy systems. Ensuring accuracy without disrupting benefits for legitimate recipients remains a delicate balance that the SSA and other agencies must continue to navigate carefully.