Paul Nidich has a warning about using the online services at Social Security’s website.

Tuesday I posted a message with information about the Social Security Administration’s new benefits’ estimator and other online services. Use these new tools, but use them with caution. Assume that the “bugs” haven’t yet been worked out of the system, and DO NOT make any critical decisions based upon these new tools.

I spoke with an old friend Tuesday night who used to work for Social Security. As we were discussing my message, he commented that it would probably take a good two years before all of the bugs got worked out of the online system. You can apply for benefits online, he said; but if you don’t talk to a live social security representative, you can wind up making binding decisions that are not in your best interest.

Update: unfortunately, Paul’s has discontinued his site and it is no longer on the web.