What Happens to My Benefits If the Federal Government Shuts Down Friday Night?

Despite hopes for a funding deal materializing on Wednesday morning, the federal government is once again on the precipice of a shutdown after President-elect Donald Trump and other congressional Republicans came out in opposition to the proposal. With only a few days left for a continuing resolution to hammered out, you might be getting increasingly worried about what this all means for the benefits and services you rely on.

Congress has until the end of Friday, Dec. 20, to pass a spending bill that will fund the federal government into next spring while it hashes out the long-term federal budget. If that deadline passes without Congress approving funding, the government will enter into a shutdown period until one is passed, during which time federal employees will be furloughed without pay and certain government services will cease to operate. 

The US government has been shut down 10 times in its long history, the first one coming in late 1981. The most recent shutdown started in December 2018 and was arguably the most significant of them all, lasting a record 35 days. While the government hasn't shut down since then, the threat of one has become increasingly more common in recent years whenever funding deadlines approach.

Should a shutdown occur to close out 2024, you can expect some vital services to persist while others stall. You can read on for all the details. For more, find out how to protect your Social Security number from thieves and how long you have left to sign up for ACA health insurance.

Will I still get Social Security during a government shutdown?

The Social Security Administration has plans in place to ensure that Social Security checks will still be sent out in the event of a government shutdown. This applies for Social Security benefits as well as Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance.

You could, however, expect to see delays for other Social Security Administration services, including the issuance of new Social Security cards and appointments for benefit applications, as well as responses to requests for customer service. Other things like benefit verifications and processing overpayments will stop entirely.

Will I still get Medicare during a government shutdown?

Just like with Social Security, you can expect to continue receiving benefits during a government shutdown if you have Medicare or Medicaid. According to a rundown posted by the office of Virginia Rep. Jennifer Wexton, these benefits, however, could cease in the event that a shutdown lasted longer than three months, but such a possibility is considerably outside the realm of historical precedent.

Will a government shutdown impact federal nutrition programs?

Food assistance programs are at a significant risk of losing funding in the event of a government shutdown. If you're among the tens of millions of Americans who participate in programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, your benefits could run out shortly after the start of a shutdown. The Department of Agriculture is also authorized to send out SNAP benefits for only 30 days from the start of a shutdown, funding or no.

Will a government shutdown impact air travel?

Federal employees in this field are still expected to work during a shutdown despite the fact that they will not be paid during it, so you will most likely not see an immediate impact on air travel. This includes air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration officers, and Customs and Border Protection agents.

However, according to Rep. Wexton's breakdown of government shutdowns, it isn't unheard of for these employees to not show up during a government shutdown, which can result in the flow of travel at airports being heavily delayed.

For more, find out what sort of changes could be on the way for Medicare in 2025.