Can I rely upon what they tell me at Social Security?

It’s rare for a Social Security employee to mislead someone deliberately, but you should not rely upon everything they tell you at Social Security. Questions about Social Security are often difficult to answer. Claimants make it tougher for Social Security because they do not know how to ask questions to get an accurate answer. Social Security has cut its workforce dramatically in recent years. The remaining employees are overworked and, as a result, often make mistakes. The problems are most severe with Social Security’s 800 number service. The 800 number calls do not go to your local Social Security office, but to giant tele-service centers, whose employees are often poorly trained. Social Security’s own studies show that if you ask a complex question over the 800 line your chance of getting an accurate answer is about one in two.