Viral Social Media Claim About Social Security “Renaming” Debunked

Social Security payments have not been officially renamed “Federal Benefit Payments,” despite persistent claims circulating on social media platforms for several years. The claim has regained traction in November 2025 through lengthy Facebook posts suggesting a deliberate government rebranding aimed at undermining what one post calls “the moral and financial contract between workers and the government.”

These viral posts typically allege that the government is attempting to recharacterize Social Security retirement funds as government handouts rather than acknowledging them as earned benefits that workers paid into throughout their careers. One widely shared version claims, “The government is now referring to our Social Security checks as a ‘Federal Benefit Payment.’ This isn’t a benefit. It is our money paid out of our earned income!”

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has consistently classified its various disbursements as “benefits” since the program’s inception in the 1930s. The terminology is not new, nor has there been any official change to how these payments are classified or described in government documentation.

In fact, the term “federal benefit payments” is not exclusive to Social Security but rather applies to numerous government programs, including Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, and agricultural subsidies. The classification of these payments as benefits is unrelated to their funding source or the fact that workers contribute to the Social Security system throughout their careers.

The SSA’s official documentation consistently uses the term “benefits” to describe payments across its programs, including retirement, disability, survivor, family, and Supplemental Security Income payments. A thorough review of the agency’s news releases reveals no announcements indicating a formalized change in terminology.

Recent SSA materials, including a 2022 analysis of the Supplemental Security Income program and a 2025 fact sheet, continue to use the term “benefits” when referring to monthly payments. The 2025 fact sheet specifically notes that approximately 69 million Americans receive some form of Social Security benefit each month.

Beyond the name claim, the viral posts contain numerous inaccuracies about Social Security contributions and the program’s fundamental purpose. For instance, the posts often claim that Social Security contributions total “15% of our income before taxes,” which is incorrect. Current Social Security contributions amount to 12.4% on earnings up to $176,100, with the cost split evenly between employers and employees at 6.2% each, plus an additional 2.9% Medicare tax.

More fundamentally, these posts misrepresent the nature of Social Security itself. The program was never designed as a personal investment account or savings plan but rather as an Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program intended to ensure Americans receive a minimum monthly payment during retirement or disability. Like all insurance systems, some beneficiaries will receive more than they contributed, while others will receive less.

The viral posts often include complex financial calculations suggesting workers would have accumulated substantial individual retirement funds had their Social Security contributions been placed in interest-bearing accounts. However, these calculations typically rely on flawed assumptions about contribution rates and program design.

Social Security remains one of America’s most important safety net programs, providing critical income to millions of retirees, disabled workers, and survivors. While debates about its long-term financial sustainability continue, claims about a recent name change from “Social Security” to “Federal Benefit Payments” are demonstrably false.

The SSA has been contacted for additional comment on this persistent rumor but has yet to respond as of publication time.