It will soon get harder to claim Social Security checks: What to know about new in-person identity verification rules

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will soon require millions of Americans to potentially verify their identity in person, even as the federal government plans on closing offices nationwide and has cut thousands of the agency’s jobs as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s slashing of the federal workforce, all of which could create a perfect storm for elderly and disabled Americans who rely on Social Security to survive.

The agency said the new rules, which are aimed...