Thousands have been short-changed of their Social Security payments as a result of blunders by the Social Security Administration

A new bill in Congress, titled the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2026, would change how Social Security benefits are calculated, meaning millions of parents could end up with larger payments when they retire.

The exposure is linked to a CMS provider directory data intended to help improve accuracy of insurer networks.

Social Security benefits can be taxed at the federal level depending on your total income in retirement. Whether you owe taxes on your benefits, and how much, depends on very old data. The IRS uses income thresholds set decades ago that have never been adjusted for inflation.

What this means is that if your earnings record isn't accurate, you could end up with smaller Social Security benefits than you're actually entitled to. And if you don't keep tabs on your earnings record, you risk losing out big time.

The Trump administration exposed the private Social Security numbers of dozens of health care providers while setting up a new Medicare portal. The Washington Post reports that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS),

Social Security is a popular but expensive program. With the trust fund facing depletion in just a few years, experts have suggested different ways to cut costs and make the program more sustainable,

CMS’ Medicare Advantage provider directory exposed healthcare providers’ Social Security numbers, The Washington Post reported April 30. The Post downloaded a public database used to populate the directory and found dozens of provider Social Security numbers.