How to Transition Your Social Security Account to Login.gov
Reading Time: 3 MinutesLast Updated: August 23, 2024
If you created a Social Security username more than 3 years ago, you will need to transition to a new or existing Login.gov account or use an ID.me account to have continuous access to our online services. We recently announced this news in a press release.
For step-by-step instructions on how to make the transition, watch this video. We also encourage you to visit our Frequently Asked Questions for Transitioning Your Social Security Username to Login.gov.
Beginning June 1, 2024, people who sign in to their personal my Social Security account with their username are given the option to transition to Login.gov. This blog provides additional information and guidance to help you with problems you may encounter. We’re also going to provide answers to some of the questions we’ve heard.
Who does this affect?
If you created your free and secure my Social Security account on or after September 18, 2021, no action is necessary because you already have the right setup. If you are among the 46 million people who created an account before September 18, 2021 and use your username and password to access Social Security online services today, you will need to create or use an existing account with one of our two Credential Service Providers (CSP) – Login.gov or ID.me.
Is there a deadline?
While you can still use a username and password to sign in to your personal my Social Security account right now, this option is going away later this year. At that time, you will be required to have a Login.gov or ID.me account if you want to continue to access your personal my Social Security and our many other convenient online services.
A personal my Social Security account provides tools for everyone, whether you receive benefits or not. You can use your account to request a replacement Social Security card, check the status of an application, estimate future benefits, and manage the benefits you already receive. To learn more, visit What is an Account?
Why are you making this change?
This change will simplify your sign-in experience and better align with federal authentication standards while providing safe and secure access to our online services.
What do I need to do?
To avoid any disruptions in accessing our online services we encourage you to transition your account now by signing in to your account with your username and password. Our online instructions will guide you through the process of creating or signing in to an existing Login.gov account.
Information about Login.gov and ID.me
Login.gov is your one government account for simple, secure, and private access to participating government agencies. You can use your Login.gov account to access your Social Security benefit information, services, and other information. And you can use that same Login.gov account to manage other government benefits and services. For support, visit the Login.gov Help Center.
ID.me is a single sign-on provider that also meets the U.S. government’s online identity proofing and authentication requirements. You can use one ID.me account to access government and private services. For support – Go to the ID.me Help Center.
For more information, visit our Create an Account page.
Please share this information with friends and family, clients and colleagues, and others who may need it.
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Tags: General Information, my Social Security, my Social Security account
See CommentsAbout the Author
Dawn Bystry, Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
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Beyond F.
I’ve been trying to get my and my husband’s accounts set up for over a week. I have talked to Social Security, login.gov, and idme.com multiple times. The right hand isn’t talking to the left hand. Nobody has any idea of what they are doing. Got told by the Social Security agent today that he wasn’t aware of any problems. I have an idme.com account for work. My idme.com login works except on the Social Security website. Maybe they should read their blog.
Michael N.
I to can’t log in and Ive had a login.gov account for years. It just cycles thru back to the beginning page. Uhhhggg
lynda w.
Thank goodness I am not alone with this damn change, I had to give up trying. Need a drink to keep making this work.
Lynda
Ruth M.
I prefer the individual accounts: account for each U.S. Agency & account for Office Personnel & Management.
I could access Social Security & Office of Personnel Management with my account.
Now, this is confusing.
I can access Social Security on Login.gov.
I can’t access or find the Office of Personnel & Management with Login.gov.
Russell I.
I have looked over the FAQ.
What was not explained was what happens if one “created” a social security account after September 21, 2021? Would such a login have been automatically upgraded or not? In other words DOES IT MATTER? Is this a concern to the user?
I do not remember the date when I created my social security and medicare account user names so will be trying to transition my account to login.gov.
Thanks.
S.D.
Thanks for your question, Russell. Accounts created on and after September 18, 2021 use Login.gov or ID.me. No transition is needed. We hope this helps.
Sharon
My husband and I have both been signed up with the username and password accounts for several years. He received an email advising him to change to the new format, but I did not. We got him all set up, but when I try to transition mine, it won’t let me – stating that there is already another account there with that same email. But we have always shared the same email for many years. Do I now have to set up mine with a different email? That is an inconvenience if so.
S.D.
Thanks for your question, Sharon. Each person must set up their own Login.gov account with their own personal email address, not an email that you share with someone else. We hope this helps.
Karen B.
I successfully reset my SS account info. Now I’m trying to reset my husband’s account for him. He’s disabled & can’t do it himself. We share one email & one cell phone. How can I reset it for him so we can each access our separate accounts via one cell phone/email?
S.D.
Thanks for your question, Karen. Each person must set up their own Login.gov account with their own personal email address, not an email shared with someone else. We hope this helps.
Patty R.
my husband and I both use the same email address. I was able to get him logged into login.gov but when I go to create my acct it says that email address has already been used, so I tried ID.me and just got a blank page. I retried 3 times and nothing. We are both already on SSA.gov. What should I do?
thank you
S.D.
Thanks for your question, Patty. Each person must set up their own Login.gov account with their own personal email address, not an email shared with someone else. We hope this helps.
Bobbie D.
The video is helpful but it falls short at the very end after you have linked your legacy ssa.gov account to login.gov. And you get the check and message that everything is successfully linked and you click the next button, etc. The video makes it sound like you can log back into my social security account again. Why exactly would you log back into ssa.gov again? Would that be to go back into the login.gov button. It almost made it sound like another step.
Ronald K.
Like many have commented before, the transition to Login.gov seems to be designed to totally frustrate users. Could not be worse. Hurry up and wait – thanks for wasting my time. Please…