Of the 26 Social Security Administration offices listed for closure this year, none are in Michigan or Wisconsin.

That’s according to a state-by-state breakdown by the Associated Press. The review is based on an internal planning document from the General Services Administration, which manages federal real estate. The document was prepared earlier this month as the Department of Government Efficiency listed nearly 800 federal real estate leases it’s seeking to cancel.

For area residents, the nearest Social Security offices are in Rhinelander, Wis., and Escanaba.

On Thursday, SSA issued a news release stating reports in the media that it’s permanently closing local field offices are false. Since Jan. 1, the agency has not permanently closed or announced the permanent closure of any local field office.

From time to time, SSA must temporarily close a local field office for reasons such as weather, damage or facilities issues, and it reopens when the issues are resolved, said Lee Dudek, acting commissioner of Social Security. The agency has announced the permanent closure of one hearing office, in White Plains, N.Y.

SSA said it identified for the General Services Administration underutilized office space to ensure the government is spending taxpayer money as prudently as possible. The agency provided GSA a list of sites for termination. Most of these are small hearing rooms with no assigned employees, Dudek said. Since most hearings are held virtually, SSA no longer needs these underutilized rooms.

Last week, SSA announced a plan to require in-person identity checks at field offices for millions of new and existing recipients. The change, the agency said, will help combat fraud and waste.

“Using Social Security’s online services to prove identity or, if needed, in person, prevents bad actors from stealing current and future benefits,” SSA said.

The new ID requirements would have affected anyone who needed to verify their bank information, as well as families with children who receive Social Security benefits and cannot verify certain information online.

On Thursday, SAA backtracked on some of those requirements. People applying for Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare or Supplemental Security Income who are not able to use agency’s online portal can complete their claim entirely over the phone instead of in person. But other SSA applicants unable to use the online portal will be required to verify their identities at a field office.

Also, the changes will apply beginning April 14, instead of the previously announced date of March 31.

“We have listened to our customers, Congress, advocates, and others, and we are updating our policy to provide better customer service to the country’s most vulnerable populations,” said Dudek. “In addition to extending the policy’s effective date by two weeks to ensure our employees have the training they need to help customers, Medicare, Disability, and SSI applications will be exempt from in-person identity proofing because multiple opportunities exist during the decision process to verify a person’s identity.”

SSA has a guide, “What to Know about Proving Your Identity” at https://www.ssa.gov/news/identity-proofing.html.

According to the guide, you will need to visit a Social Security office and verify your identity:

— If you start an application by telephone for Retirement, Survivors, or Auxiliary (Spouse or Child) benefits.

— If you use a paper application.

In the end, it appears that any new Social Security beneficiaries who have issues with online access — and there can be many — must arrange an office visit.

In a statement, AARP’s Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond said Dudek’s announcement “is a good first step by the Social Security Administration to respond to the concerns of AARP, our members, and older Americans everywhere about plans to discontinue phone service for critical Social Security customer service needs.”

Delaying the implementation of this change is not enough, though, she said.

“SSA should take a deliberate approach to its proposed changes to customer service that seeks public input, follows a clear communication plan, and allows a reasonable timeframe for compliance,” she said.