Where can I get a copy of my SSA-1099 tax form?

An SSA-1099, also known as a Social Security Benefit Statement, details income from Social Security payments. The Social Security Administration mails SSA-1099s every January to U.S. citizens and residents who received benefits the previous year so they can include the information on their tax returns.

If you did not receive your SSA-1099 or have misplaced it, you can get a replacement online if you have a My Social Security account. Sign in to your account and click the link for Replacement Documents. You’ll be able to access your form and save a printable copy.

The same goes for an SSA-1042S, the tax form Social Security sends to beneficiaries outside the United States who are not U.S. citizens and are not considered U.S. residents for tax purposes.  Broadly speaking, that means foreign nationals who do not have a green card or did not spend a substantial portion of the prior three years in the United States.

If you don’t have a My Social Security account, you can call Social Security at 800-772-1213 or visit your local office to request a new SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S. Local offices fully reopened April 7 after being closed to walk-in traffic for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Social Security recommends calling in advance and scheduling an appointment to avoid long waits. If you live abroad, contact your nearest Federal Benefits Unit.

Replacement copies of both documents are available starting Feb. 1 each year.

Keep in mind

• You do not need these forms if the only benefit you receive is Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a Social Security-run program that makes payments to older, disabled and blind people with low incomes. SSI benefits are not taxable.
• You must have a valid U.S. mailing address to start a My Social Security account. You can create and use an account while living abroad but only if you maintain a U.S. address.