A Year of Progress: Commissioner Bisignano Leads Social Security’s Transformation
Today marks one year since Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano was sworn in as the 18th Senate-confirmed leader of Social Security. Over the past year, the agency has made historic strides in customer service, digital transformation, and fraud prevention, delivering on a promise to protect and strengthen Social Security for all Americans.
A Commitment to Service
"I made a commitment to President Trump and the American people to protect and strengthen Social Security and transform this agency into a premier service organization," said Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano. "Over the last year, we have delivered better, faster, higher-quality customer service for the more than 330 million Americans we serve. We are just getting started.”
Social Security is a cornerstone in every American’s retirement plan and provides support for survivors, families, people with disabilities, and our nation’s most vulnerable. Our agency sends out approximately 75 million payments each month, totaling $1.6 trillion throughout the year.
Key Achievements in the Past Year
Commissioner Bisignano’s first year has brought measurable improvements for the American public:
- Reducing the average speed of answer on the National 800 Number to the lowest level in a decade to 6.6 minutes – an 84 percent reduction from 42 minutes in fiscal year (FY) 2024
- Achieving a 20 percent increase in online transactions, successfully completing nearly 90 million more transactions in FY 2025 compared to FY 2024 by giving Americans 24/7 access to their benefits and personal information online, when previously the website was down 29 hours a week
- Shortening field office wait times by 30 percent since FY 2024 while bringing new technology to the phone systems in over 1,200 field offices, enabling nearly 30 percent of calls to be resolved via self-service or convenient callback
- Reducing the initial disability claims backlog by 33 percent, from a high of 1.27 million in 2024 to 853,000 cases in April 2026
- Decreasing disability hearing wait times by 40 percent, reaching historic lows
- Sending over 3.1 million payments totaling $17 billion to eligible beneficiaries five months ahead of schedule under the Social Security Fairness Act
- Protecting Social Security’s systems and infrastructure with a renewed focus on data integrity and enhanced controls to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse
Empowering Americans with Digital Tools
A cornerstone of this transformation is the “my Social Security” online portal, which now boasts over 100 million accounts. This secure platform allows users to access earnings records, benefit estimates, manage payments, update personal information, and more. All this can be accomplished without needing to call or visit an office. If you have not created your personal my Social Security account yet, get started today!
Supporting the Most Vulnerable
Commissioner Bisignano has renewed the agency’s focus on the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, appointing a dedicated leader and launching an SSI Improvement Team to streamline processes, support recipients, and reduce improper payments.
He also established the agency’s first Chief of Security and Resiliency and Chief Risk Officer, further strengthening Social Security’s commitment to accountability and operational excellence.
Looking Ahead
Commissioner Bisignano’s leadership has set a strong foundation for the future. Under his leadership, Social Security will continue to deliver better service, faster decisions on disability claims, and expanded digital access. Our commitment to protecting and preserving Social Security for generations to come is stronger than ever.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to serve our nation’s retirees, workers, and families with excellence.