The U.S. federal government officially shut down last week after lawmakers failed to pass a temporary funding bill by the Sept. 30 deadline. As a result, around 750,000 federal employees are now furloughed, and many federal services are being paused or disrupted.
Congress has attempted — and failed — seven times to pass a stopgap bill to reopen the government. While Democrats insist on protecting healthcare funding, former President Donald Trump has responded by promising sweeping federal workforce cuts.
There’s currently no clear end in sight, and the longer this shutdown lasts, the more everyday Americans may begin to feel the impact — especially if it stretches beyond 30 days.
Let’s break down how the shutdown could affect your life, your finances, and your travel plans.
🔍 What Is a Government Shutdown?
A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass the 12 appropriations bills needed to fund federal agencies for the new fiscal year (starting Oct. 1).
When that happens:
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Non-essential government operations pause
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Federal workers in non-essential roles are furloughed
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Essential employees (like TSA and air traffic control) must work without pay
Since 1976, there have been 21 shutdowns, most lasting only a few days — though one in 2018-2019 stretched to a record-setting 35 days.
🧾 What’s Still Running — and What’s Not
Here’s a breakdown of how the current government shutdown could affect key services and benefits:
🧓 Social Security & Medicare
✅ Social Security and Medicare benefits will continue as usual.
⏳ But you may see delays in:
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Disability claim decisions (SSDI)
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Benefit verifications
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Medicare card replacements
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Corrections to earnings records
🍎 SNAP & Food Assistance (WIC)
✅ SNAP (food stamps) and WIC benefits are still being delivered.
⚠️ But if the shutdown continues beyond 30 days, funding could run out, especially for WIC — which may shut down entirely if federal contingency funds dry up.
🏥 Medicaid & Healthcare Programs
✅ Medicaid will continue to operate.
⚠️ Expect delays in:
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Processing Medicare overpayments
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Replacing Medicare cards
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Administrative requests
🛫 TSA & Air Travel
✅ TSA agents and air traffic controllers are still working — but without pay.
⚠️ If unpaid workers start calling out sick, you could see:
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Longer lines at airport security
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Flight delays or cancellations
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Delayed FAA hiring or training for new controllers
📍 Already, delays have been reported at:
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Burbank Airport (CA)
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Newark Liberty (NJ)
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Denver International (CO)
📮 U.S. Postal Service
✅ Mail delivery will continue as usual.
The USPS operates independently and doesn’t rely on federal funding.
💼 Unemployment Benefits
✅ Unemployment payments will continue — managed by states.
⚠️ Federal furloughed workers in some states may apply for benefits, but:
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If they receive back pay, they may have to return unemployment funds
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Workers still required to report (without pay) are not eligible
🚆 Amtrak
✅ Trains will keep running.
Amtrak is federally chartered but operates independently. A long shutdown could impact finances, but service disruptions are unlikely.
📚 Schools & Student Loans
✅ Public schools and teachers are unaffected — they’re funded locally.
⚠️ Delays could impact:
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Districts relying on Impact Aid (for schools on federal land)
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Processing new FAFSA applications for college
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Loan forgiveness or consolidation requests (managed by the U.S. Department of Education)
📝 Students with current federal loans should continue making payments as scheduled.
🌲 National Parks, Museums & Monuments
🟡 Remain open, but:
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Staff is minimal
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Expect limited services: No trash pickup, closed visitor centers, locked restrooms
📞 Consumer Protection & Complaints
⛔ The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has paused many of its services, including:
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Fraud reporting (ReportFraud.ftc.gov)
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Identity theft help (IdentityTheft.gov)
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Do Not Call Registry
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Econsumer.gov (for international complaints)
📝 You may still submit public comments or FOIA requests, but they won’t be reviewed until the shutdown ends.
💬 How Did We Get Here?
Each year, Congress must pass 12 funding bills to keep the government running.
This year, lawmakers had until Sept. 30 to approve funding — and failed.
Previously, temporary measures (called continuing resolutions) have kicked the can down the road. A six-month stopgap was passed back in March, keeping the government open until the new deadline.
But this time, political gridlock between the Senate and the White House has left the government at a standstill — with no deal currently in sight.
🧠 Quick Recap: What You Should Do
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✅ Expect Social Security and Medicare to continue
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✅ Continue student loan payments
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✅ Pack snacks and arrive early for flights
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❌ Don’t rely on fraud reporting tools or FTC complaint services
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❌ Avoid planning visits to fully staffed national parks
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🕒 Prepare for delays in certain benefits, applications, and administrative services
📢 Stay informed with CreditVana. We’ll keep you updated on major developments that could affect your money, benefits, or travel.
