A Constant Quest to Improve Our Online Services
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 6, 2023
We know you’re busy and need ways to be more productive. Our online services make it possible for you to conduct business with us when and where it’s convenient for you. Our goal is to provide you with world-class service and our online services are a convenient, cost-effective, and secure way for us to better serve you.
On our website, you can apply for retirement, spouse’s, disability, and Medicare benefits. You can use our benefit planners to calculate your future benefits. You can also find answers to your frequently asked questions. You can even apply for Extra Help to pay for the costs—monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments—related to a Medicare prescription drug plan.
In addition, by opening a personal my Social Security account, you can keep track of your earnings and verify them every year by reviewing your Social Security Statement. You can get an instant benefit verification letter or one stating that you don’t currently receive benefits, never received benefits, or are waiting for an answer on your application for benefits.
If you receive benefits, you also can:
- Change your address or telephone number;
- Start or change your direct deposit;
- Get a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S for your taxes; and
- Replace your Medicare card.
We frequently review our online services looking for new and useful enhancements to meet our customers’ changing needs. Your feedback is important to us when deciding how we can better serve you, so use this blog to let us know.
We continue to use updated technology and innovative ideas to expand our online services at www.socialsecurity.gov. And although our online services can be handled easily from the comfort of your home or office, our in-person services are still available to you. We are committed to meeting your needs and preferences in how you like to conduct business with us.
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Tags: Disability, Medicare, my Social Security, online services, Social Security benefits, SSA, SSI
See CommentsAbout the Author
Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications
Comments
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Paul M.
Just tried to log in to my social security from australia, first time in 6 months or so. Had to reset password as it was no longer recognised, and now they want a mobile phone number for sms verification. I tried to enter my local mobile number as it is the only mobile I own, but it was not recognised. I am now effectively locked out of the online services, can’t get a statement unless I mail in a form. How is that any more secure?
Bill M.
Why is SSA forcing users of My Social Security to have a cell phone with text capability? They are expensive and many people cannot afford them. Can you spell O-B-S-T-A-C-L-E? I understand SSA wants better security, but to reach for it by denying people access is exclusionary and wrong. Please rethink this. It will confuse and hurt many people.
R.F.
Thank you for your comment Bill. We are limited to text messages for the initial multifactor authentication (MFA) implementation due to technical and resource constraints, but we expect to provide additional options in the future.
Carol O.
Please tell me why our local social security office in Wise, VA doesn’t have a chair or any handicapped rails, etc for guests while they are at the ‘window’ where you are first called to. Do any? Some conversations with soc sec employees are lengthy, lobby chairs are fastened to the floor, most guests are disabled and sometimes it’s almost impossible to stand for long or even short periods of time. The healthy employees are seated while the disabled people are forced to stand throughout the initial interview. Does something sound a little discriminatory?
R.F.
We apologize for the inconveniences Ms. Kennedy. We have referred your complaint to our Operations staff to follow up and to take corrective action as necessary. We appreciate your feedback, and thank you for bringing this to our attention.
pork s.
Why don’t you sign up for a free google voice number?
You have Internet so there should be no impediment.
And I know for a fact that it works.
pork s.
oops
should have been under comment below
Karen L.
After I applied for benefits, the site told me to expect a determination in a month and gave me a confirmation number to login and be able to track the progress. However, the site does NOT give a clear path to even be able to find how to login with this confirmation number. As I recall it took me an hour of hit and miss tries and having to open 4-5 subsequent windows to find out my determination. And forget it taking a month, it took the full 3 months before my birthday to find out if, when and how much social security. Just state things accurately on your website and make things easier to find if you want to cut down on frustrated people calling in and being upset that the website is hard to use and misleading.
Sam
I want to see only important changes; NOT general comments… too much non-essentials
Debbi M.
It would be very helpful for the public as well as a time saver for employees, if the online disability application offered the ability to include medical records and additional documents when submitting the initial application. This feature is available when filing an appeal and would make the application process more efficient.
Andrea N.
I tried to log on to my information, and was locked-out so many times, I lost count. I kept trying to use the new password, but even that would not allow me access. I refuse to call you, as I know how many hours I will have to wait for a representative to answer. I think I will switch back to getting my information in the mail.
When I read the other blog comments, I noticed that I was not the only one with this problem. PLEASE FIX YOUR LOG-IN SITE SO IT WORKS.
Theresa N.
My husband has been trying to get a claim on HIS money accepted for 7 years now, after an injury to his back has left his unable to work. Over the course of these years his condition has worsened dramatically & he continues to consult doctors, undergo tests & take medicine for the pain. All the while your judges have informed him that he is LYING & that there is work he can do. They won’t say what (because there ISNT ANY). All of this has made for many sleepless nights for both of us. To say that I am extremely dissatisfied with your service would be the understatement of the MILLENNIUM!!!!!
Judy C.
Can Social Security reinstate the Representative Payee g Online Annual Visit Reporting. I can do the accounting report online, but I just spent almost 5 hours at the local office waiting to tell the SSA employee that nothing has changed for my Ward. No felonies, no hospitalizations, no living arrangement changes, etc. For a couple of years we had the opportunity to do a Telephone Interview, but SSA discontinued that. My time is valuable too. I had to take the day off from work (money out of my meager pocket) to wait 4 hrs because 4 or 5 people didn’t show up for their job at SSA! Then another 45 minutes stating that nothing had changed!
Very frustrating and wasteful of time resources.
martha
I agree!!!!
Robert W.
I went to the Open an Account page but was stopped by the requirement for a US mailing address, which I do not have. US expats need on-line services like this even more than US residents since we can’t just go to a nearby SSA office and do it. The main thing I would like to see is an on-line SSA-7162 form, given that the (so-called) postal (so-called) service here in Thailand is very unreliable. They’d just as soon steal it as deliver it!
JC
Me too. I wish SSA can really serve the people by providing a service that is usable and reasonable, instead of a bunch of reasons why it CANNOT be done!