How a government shutdown impacts you

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Federal Benefits
 

Will I continue to receive my Social Security and SSI checks?

Yes. During a government shutdown, recipients will continue to receive their Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will continue to issue original and replacement Social Security cards and process applications for benefits and appeals. Field offices will be open, and the national 1-800 number will be running.

Based on previous government shutdowns, some Social Security services may be affected, such as benefit verifications and overpayment processing, which recipients often need when applying for assistance programs.

Will I still be able to use my Medicare or Medicaid?

Yes. Medicare and Medicaid are deemed mandatory programs and benefits will not be disrupted by the shutdown. The shutdown will not affect Medicare’s open enrollment period beginning October 15 or the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment period beginning November.

How will veterans be impacted?

Veterans’ health care will not be affected by the shutdown. Benefits will continue to be processed and delivered, including compensation, pension, education, and housing benefits.

Based on previous government shutdowns, access to some Veterans’ Affairs (VA) resources will be restricted, including outreach, career counseling, transition assistance, and cemetery grounds maintenance. Regional VA offices that serve the public will close.

Will I still receive my WIC or SNAP benefits for groceries?

Unfortunately, the vast majority of the seven million participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program will see an immediate reduction in benefits during the shutdown.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will continue to receive assistance as normal for the month of October but could be affected if the shutdown goes into November and later.

Will I still have access to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), including cash assistance?

Because TANF is funded by the government but distributed by state agencies, this will depend on your state policy. During a government shutdown, it is likely that the federal government will need to halt its quarterly TANF payments to states, but state governments will have the option to continue providing benefits and services without interruption.

Public Spaces and Utilities 
 

Will my mail still arrive?

Yes. The approximately 500,000 Postal Service employees are exempt from “furlough” — meaning they will continue to go to work — because the Postal Service is self-funded.

Will public schools be affected?

Some preschool and school readiness centers will close, leading to some children losing their Head Start benefits. Public elementary, middle, and high schools will be able to rely on state funding and continue to operate.

Will the shutdown impact public health?

The federal government will suspend most safety inspections for drinking water, food, worksites, and hazardous sites. The agency responsible for food inspections, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will continue inspections of food being imported from outside the country. However, it will need to halt inspections of domestic food, where the FDA often tests for salmonella in breakfast cereal, E.coli in romaine lettuce, and listeria in ice cream.

Will I be able to visit national parks, monuments, and museums?

The majority of national parks will be closed during the shutdown, with the exception of parks that are physically accessible to the public, such as lookouts, campgrounds, trails, and open-air memorials. The National Mall in Washington, D.C. is an example of a federal park that will remain open. 

Bear in mind that federal staff will not be present to maintain park land during a shutdown. Park visitors should be prepared to see locked bathrooms, litter, and overflowing trashcans on national park lands. 

Museums operated by the federal government will close during the shutdown, including the Smithsonians and the National Zoo, although some museums may remain open for a few days using leftover funds from the previous fiscal year.

Will federal courts still be open?

Federal courts are expected to remain open and continue operations for at least two weeks after a shutdown begins. In prior shutdowns, the federal judiciary had the ability to remain open in some capacity and avoid furloughs by balancing court fees and other funds not dependent on Congressional appropriations.  Some court proceedings may be delayed, however, if a lawyer from an executive branch agency who is involved in the case is furloughed. 

Financial Support and Federal Relief
 

Will assistance related to my federal student loans be affected?

Key activities at Federal Student Aid will continue for a few weeks, but a prolonged shutdown could disrupt the agency’s ability to assist borrowers.

A shutdown could also delay the process for students applying to the FAFSA and seeking financial aid. State and school-based financial aid may still be available, so reach out to your school for guidance.

Will the IRS be available for tax filings and tax refunds?

If you are filing your 2024 taxes with a valid extension, you are still required to file by the October 16 deadline. You may experience significant delays in processing tax refunds due to staffing shortages caused by the government shutdown. 

Will federal disaster relief be available to communities affected by hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) should still respond to emergencies, but long-term projects will be delayed due to a lack of funding for the Disaster Relief Fund.

Will my small business be able to access federal loans?

The Small Business Administration (SBA) will not provide new loans to any businesses.

If you have an SBA loan, your repayments are still due, and it is a good idea to contact your lending institution and ask how the government shutdown affects your loan (SBA loans are provided through private lenders). SBA is likely to continue to issue disaster loans, since they did so during the 2018-2019 shutdown. However, you should expect the process of getting approved for a new EIDLs (Economic Injury Disaster Loans) to take a bit longer.

Will my farm be able to access federal loans?

USDA Farm Service Agency offices will be closed during the shutdown, meaning that farmers will have to wait on subsidy payments, loans, and commodity data they need now to make plans for the spring and future growing seasons. 

The USDA has not yet said whether farmers will be expected to make loan payments during the shutdown, but the agency policy during the 2019 was that farmers did not have to make loan payments until the shutdown was over. 

I am in the middle of buying a house. Will my Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured loan still close?

FHA will have limited staff during a shutdown and the processing or closing of FHA-insured loans may be delayed. The longer the shutdown lasts, the more serious the impact will be. All FHA underwriting and processing requirements would remain in force during the government shutdown and no loan may be endorsed that does not fulfill those requirements.

A shutdown may delay the processing or closing of your FHA-insured loan. Please contact your lender for the exact status of your FHA loan.

I am facing foreclosure on an FHA-backed loan. Does the clock stop?

No. Most loss mitigation for homeowners facing foreclosure (including FHA loan modifications, FHA-HAMP, etc.) will continue. 

Will I have access to federal rental and housing assistance during a shutdown, such as Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV)?

Households will continue to receive U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assistance through the end of the year, but a longer shutdown may impact access to rental assistance. If the shutdown ends before the end of December, funding for HUD rental assistance should continue as normal; Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing, and Project-Based Rental Assistance are all funded on a calendar year cycle. 

However, a prolonged shutdown period could lead to delays in renewing contracts and the broader financial uncertainty of a shutdown may lead public housing agencies to stop reissuing housing vouchers.

Interstate and International Travel
 

Will my travel plans be impacted?

Although air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are all deemed essential, there could be significant delays and longer wait times for travelers at airports across the country. During the 2019 shutdown, several flights were canceled or delayed when Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents and air traffic controllers called off work due to the loss in pay. There is also currently a shortage of air traffic controllers employed in U.S. airports that could make travel disruptions even more likely.

Before you travel, plan ahead. Check with your airline about cancellations and delays, give yourself a cushion if you’re booking connecting flights, and leave extra time to get through airport screenings.

Can I apply for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Pre-Check and Global Entry during the shutdown?

During the 2018-2019 partial shutdown, TSA PreCheck applications were accepted. Global Entry appointments for enrollment, however, were canceled.

I have an upcoming international trip and need to request or renew a passport.  What should I expect?

The U.S. Passport Agency is expected to remain open during the shutdown and continue to issue passports. However, some offices and services may be limited if those offices are in buildings run by another agency that is shut down. 

I am a United States' citizen currently abroad. Will the local United States embassy be open?

During the 2018-2019 partial shutdown, United States embassies remained open to some degree, but U.S. citizens living abroad should prepare for delays in any application or processing requests as staff furloughs may occur.

Please note, hours of operations and service impacts may vary at each facility. You can check which embassies and consulates may be impacted here.