How to check my social security account

My Social Security is an online service provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows you to review your earnings history, check current or future benefits, and access many other Social Security services. You will need a valid email address, a U.S. mailing address and your Social Security number to create an account.

To open a My Social Security account:

1. Go to the My Social Security sign-up page and click on “Create New Account.”
2. Click the “Create a new account” link and then the button reading “Sign in with LOGIN.GOV.” Login.gov is a secure government portal that lets you use one set of credentials to access multiple participating federal agencies.
3. On the next screen, click on “Create an account” near the bottom of the page. On the next few screens, enter your email and a language preference, confirm your email, and create a strong password with at least 12 characters.
4. 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 a code.
5. After you read and accept the account terms of service, enter personal information the SSA can use to identify you, including your name (as it appears on your Social Security card), address, date of birth and Social Security number.

At this point, you can add an extra layer of security if you wish by providing additional information the SSA can use to verify your identity. (This procedure used to be mandatory but became optional when Social Security began using Login.gov for account access.) If you decide to do so, you have three options:

• Take photos of your driver’s license or some other state-issued ID with your smartphone. The site will guide you through the process.
• Input financial information such as the amount of your Social Security benefit, part of a credit card number, or data from a tax document such as a W-2 or 1040 Schedule SE.
• Answer questions about your credit history. If you choose this method, you’ll need to temporarily lift any freeze or alert you have on your credit report.

Whether or not you opt for extra security, you’ll be prompted one more time to get an activation code by text message or phone call and enter it for final verification. You’re now ready to use your account!

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 signed up via Login.gov, you’ll continue using it whenever you sign in. If you created an account using prior sign-up platforms — Social Security’s ssa.gov site or the digital verification network ID.me — you can still use them and log in with your existing username and password.
• 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.

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