Social Security Phone Wait Times Reach Nearly 2 Hours in 2025

Oh, how wonderful! Just what everyone dreams of—spending nearly two hours of their precious retirement years listening to mind-numbing hold music while waiting to speak to someone about those trivial little Social Security benefits that only determine whether you can afford food this month.

No one enjoys being stuck on hold? What an understatement! It’s actually everyone’s favorite pastime, especially when your retirement or disability payments from Social Security—you know, those unimportant things that keep you housed and fed—are at stake. The key to success in this thrilling game? Prepare before you call the Social Security Administration (SSA) and know exactly what to expect: disappointment and frustration.

Recent announcements about SSA workforce reductions, office closings, and the push toward online services have many older Americans worried. Imagine that! Seniors concerned about reaching a vital government service when they need help with their benefits. How unreasonable of them.

The data on the Social Security website paints what they call a “sobering picture.” In March 2025, callers waited an average of 1 hour and 39 minutes on hold to speak with an English-speaking representative. That’s longer than most movies! But unlike a movie, there’s no plot, no character development, and certainly no happy ending—just the occasional “Your call is important to us” message to remind you of the cruel joke being played.

Understanding Social Security’s Massive Call Volume (Or: How Millions of Americans Enjoy Their Hold Music)

The numbers are staggering, much like the patience required to navigate this Social Security system. The SSA typically handles about 80 million calls each year through its national 800 number. Looking at recent data from April 2023 to March 2025, call volume reached its peak in March 2025 with a whopping 10,428,157 calls—averaging 483,549 calls every day. January 2025 wasn’t much better, with 9,777,109 calls (about 448,423 daily).

What caused this surge in Social Security contact attempts? Perhaps it’s the sheer joy of listening to the same 30-second music loop for hours on end. Or maybe—just maybe—it’s because millions of Americans depend on Social Security benefits for their basic survival needs. But who’s counting, right?