AARP Hearing Center
My Social Security is an online service provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that lets you review your earnings history, check your current or future benefits, and access many other Social Security services. You must be at least 18 years old and have a Social Security number and a valid email address to create an account.
To open a My Social Security account:
- Go to the My Social Security sign-up page and click on “Create an Account.”
- Click the “Create an account with Login.gov” link. Login.gov is a secure government portal that lets you use one set of credentials to access multiple participating federal agencies.
- On the next screen, click on “Create an account" and enter an email address and language preference. You'll get an email from Login.gov with a link to confirm your email. At this stage you'll be prompted to create a strong password with at least 12 characters.
- Choose how you want the SSA to verify it’s you when you use the account. This could be the familiar two-factor authentication, where you receive a security code by text or phone call, but there are other options. If you select two-factor authentication, you’ll be prompted to enter your phone number to get and submit an activation code.
- After you submit the code, you’ll be asked to enter some personal information the SSA can use to confirm your identity, and to read and accept the account terms of service.
More Ways to Benefit
- Related Benefit 1
- Related Benefit 2
- Related Benefit 3
- Related Benefit 4
- Related Benefit 5
You’re now ready to use your My Social Security account! Each time you subsequently log in, you’ll need to go through the authorization process you previously selected (such as getting a code by text) and agree to the account terms of service.
Get your Social Security statement online
Establishing a My Social Security account online is useful even if you’re not yet collecting retirement benefits. When you log in you’ll see your Social Security statement, which lists your annual earnings history and estimates your monthly benefit if you claim it at age 62, your full retirement age or age 70.
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.
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.
AARP Membership
Join AARP for only $15 per year with automatic renewal. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of benefits, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.
More on Social Security
How to track a Social Security disability case
Update Your Social Security Card for Name Change
Getting a New Social Security Number