Is the SSA website down? Trying to check my SS benefits but getting 'services unavailable' error

yep its been down for me since yesterday too. typical government efficiency lol. tried calling but gave up after being on hold for 45 min

I just checked after seeing your post and I'm having the same issue. The message says they're doing system updates. According to the recording on their phone line (1-800-772-1213), they're doing scheduled maintenance that should be completed by tomorrow. Seems like poor planning to have the system down for so long!

Has anyone tried using the express services? Some basic functions still work without logging in, like requesting a replacement card or benefit verification letter. Might help if you just need basic info while waiting for the full site to come back online.

I work with Social Security applications professionally, and this is actually a scheduled maintenance period. They're updating their security protocols after a detected attempt to access user accounts last month. The system should be back online by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. If you need immediate assistance with your Social Security account or have urgent questions, I recommend using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you connect with an actual SSA agent by phone without the usual 2+ hour wait. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Otherwise, you can try again tomorrow afternoon when the maintenance should be complete.

Just wanted to update everyone - the site appears to be back online now. I just successfully logged into my account. They seem to have made some changes to the security questions and login process, so you might need to verify your identity again when you first log in.

Is anyone else noticing the benefit calculator showing different amounts than before the maintenance? Mine seems to be about $75 higher per month than what it showed last week. Not complaining but wondering if they updated the COLA calculations or something?

Thanks for all the updates everyone! I was getting worried when I couldn't access my account yesterday. It's reassuring to know it was just scheduled maintenance and not some major security breach. The new security questions were a bit annoying to set up again, but I'd rather have that than worry about my personal info being compromised. Good to hear about the COLA adjustments being reflected in the calculator too - every little bit helps with retirement planning!

I'm relieved to see the site is back up and working! I was getting really anxious about not being able to access my account information. As someone who's still fairly new to navigating Social Security benefits, I really appreciate how helpful everyone has been in this thread - sharing updates, explaining what was happening, and even suggesting alternative resources. It's good to know there's a community here that looks out for each other when these technical issues come up. The COLA increase showing up in the calculator is definitely a pleasant surprise too!

As someone who's been dealing with SSA for years, I can tell you these maintenance windows happen more often than they publicize. What really helped me was setting up text alerts through my MySocialSecurity account - they usually send notifications about planned outages, though this one seemed to catch everyone off guard. For future reference, if you need urgent benefit information during an outage, your local SSA field office can often pull up basic account details if you bring proper ID. Just a heads up that with the new security updates, you might also need to re-verify your contact information the next time you log in. Glad everyone got back in safely!