Concerns are also emerging about the operations of agencies like the Social Security Administration (SSA), as a majority of the 74 million beneficiaries rely on their monthly benefits to get by. The good news is that all SSA recipients will continue to receive their funds on time during the shutdown. 'The system hasn't missed a payment in its entire 90-year history and won't start now,' said Max Richtman, CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare. In order to gauge the potential impact on SSA operations due to the current shutdown, it is necessary to understand how many workers are deemed essential. Note that the shutdown could also delay the announcement of the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which is an annual increase in Social Security benefits to help recipients keep up with inflation.