Mark Cuban Has Been Warning About This Social Security Problem for a Year - Here's Who's Most at Risk

Mark Cuban has been raising the alarm since March 2025, saying that Social Security isn't being cut through legislation, but rather is being degraded from within through staff reductions, office closures, and shrinking access. In a Bluesky post last spring, he described reducing phone support as a backdoor way to cut Social Security benefits. More than a year later, the data backs him up.

The Social Security Administration has lost more than 8,000 workers since January 2025, the largest staffing cut in the agency's history, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). By January 2026, SSA had fewer employees than at any point since 1967, and six of its 10 regional offices have closed, according to Fortune.

But not everyone is affected equally. There are four groups that are carrying the heaviest share of the consequences, and these people need to act to minimize the impact on their retirement plan.

Rural seniors who've lost access to nearby field offices

Understaffing has already forced several rural field offices to close entirely, according to the Center for American Progress. For seniors in remote areas without reliable transportation, that's not a minor inconvenience. 

In one Urban Institute analysis of proposed closures, they found that losing the Missoula and Kalispell offices would leave the next-closest office 126 miles from Missoula and 194 miles from Kalispell. For someone who doesn't drive or doesn't have someone who does, getting in-person help may not be an option at all at this point.

What to do: Check SSA's website for a current list of offices that are closed or operating by phone only. If traveling isn't realistic, call 1-800-772-1213 to request a phone appointment. Set up a my Social Security account if you don't already have one so that routine requests can be handled online without needing to travel.

Seniors who don't use the internet or struggle with digital systems

The SSA has been pushing more services to the internet, though not everyone is comfortable going online or is tech-savvy enough. SSA Claims Specialist Chris Delaney noted that many seniors simply struggle to get through the ID verification process on my Social Security and that having a cell phone isn't the same as being able to manage a government account online. When offices are closed and phone lines are jammed, seniors who aren't tech savvy have nowhere to turn.

What to do: Ask a trusted family member or friend to help you create a my Social Security account before you need it. Your local public library may also offer free tech assistance. Getting that login set up in advance means you may be able to check your benefit status, report changes, and avoid issues that would otherwise require an in-person visit.

People receiving SSI or who have complex benefit situations

Supplemental Security Income provides modest monthly payments to low-income seniors and people with disabilities, with payouts up to $994 a month for an eligible individual per month. The rules behind it, which cover income limits, resource caps, and eligibility changes, are complex enough to require a trained caseworker.

With more than 3,800 customer service positions cut at SSA according to CBPP, getting someone on the line who knows how to help is harder than it used to be. And, the CBPP says disability appeal backlogs grew by more than 73,000 cases in just over a year.

What to do: Don't wait for a problem or a missed payment to prompt a call. If your income, living situation, or health has changed, contact SSA proactively. For help navigating SSI applications or appeals, Findhelp.org lists SOAR-trained caseworkers who specialize in exactly these situations at no cost.

People who are newly retired and setting up benefits for the first time

Applying for Social Security isn't as fast as it once was. Even after a retirement claim is approved, getting that first payment may now take two to three months, according to a Morningstar report. 

The payment centers that process approved claims are dealing with the same staffing losses as the rest of the agency. Phone lines are backed up, appointment wait times have stretched out, and delays in even getting a claim started are becoming more common. For someone counting on a first check to cover housing or basic expenses, that gap can cause serious financial stress.

What to do: Apply three or four months before you want benefits to begin rather than just waiting until a couple of weeks out. Online applications are the fastest route. Keep a record of your application date, any confirmation numbers, and names of people you speak to. If a claim stalls, your Congressional Representative's office often has staff who help constituents resolve SSA delays.

Bottom line

Cuban's concern isn't about a single dramatic cut to the SSA. His warnings are about the agency being made too small to do its job and that the people who depend on the agency most are left to navigate the sometimes complex system on their own. If you're in one of these groups, your best option is to prepare now before you have a real problem.

Set up your my Social Security account. Confirm your nearest office. If you're approaching retirement, submit your application well ahead of schedule. Being proactive and acting early is the simplest and best way to protect your senior benefits.