The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has reported that the Social Security Administration’s database shows individuals aged 150 receiving benefits. However, this is likely due to a technical glitch rather than actual centenarians collecting checks. The issue stems from the use of COBOL, a programming language that lacks a date type, leading to a default reference date of May 20, 1875, when birth dates are missing or incomplete. This means that in 2025, these entries would erroneously show an age of 150. Interestingly, the SSA has had a policy since September 2015 to automatically halt benefit payments when someone reaches 115 years old, suggesting the reported 150-year-olds are a data anomaly rather than a factual occurrence.
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