What is a My Social Security account and how do I sign up?

The statement also provides estimates of survivor benefits your spouse and children might get in the event of your death, and of what you are eligible to receive in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) if a medical condition forces you to stop working. 

You can also use My Social Security to request a replacement Social Security card (in most states), and when you file a claim for benefits, you can track the status of your application online.

Once your benefits start, you can use your account to:

• Set up or change direct deposit of your benefit payment.
• Request a replacement Medicare card
• Request a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, the tax forms Social Security sends out each January that summarize your benefits for the previous year
• Opt out of mailed notices from Social Security if the documents are available online
• Report a change of address or phone number
• Obtain and print a benefit verification letter, which you can use as proof of income when applying for a loan or mortgage, or for government aid such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or housing vouchers 
• Report wages if you work and receive SSDI or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Check the status of an appeal, including verifying a scheduled hearing date and time

If you are a representative payee managing benefits for someone else, you can use My Social Security to perform some of your duties, including setting up direct deposit for that person’s benefits, viewing messages and alerts they get from Social Security, and submitting accounting reports to SSA if required to do so.

Some logins changing

If you signed up for My Social Security via Login.gov, you’ll continue using it whenever you sign in. If you created an account using ID.me, another service the SSA uses to provide secure login credentials, you can keep using that username and password.

However, Social Security is phasing out logins created before Sept. 18, 2021, on its own platform, SSA.gov. If you have one of these accounts, you will be prompted upon sign-in to link it with a Login.gov account. Select that option and follow the instructions to create new credentials you can use to access your account via Login.gov going forward.

Keep in mind

• If you live abroad, you will need to use ID.me to set up and use a My Social Security account. You’ll find more information on the SSA’s “Service Around the World” page.
  
• If you have a security freeze or fraud alert on your credit report, you’ll need to temporarily lift it to create your account.
• If you are applying for benefits online, you will be prompted during the process to sign in to your My Social Security account or create one if you have not yet done so. If you don’t complete the application in one sitting, you’ll need to use your account to get a reentry number to return to the saved application at any time.