General, Online Services

my Social Security: What to Know about Signing Up or Signing In

January 20, 2022 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: November 2, 2023

older couple reviewing information a laptop computerWe want to help you get the services you need as quickly and safely as possible. Your personal my Social Security account is your gateway to doing business with us online.

Whether you receive benefits now or in the future, you will want to create your personal my Social Security account or use the one you may already have. More than 64 million people already have an account!

Did you know you can use your personal my Social Security account to request a replacement Social Security card (in most states), check the status of an application, verify your earnings, estimate future benefits, or manage the benefits you already receive? Watch our brief video about the benefits of having an account.

We are committed to protecting your information and benefits and take this responsibility seriously. That’s why we ask for personal information to verify your identity in order to create a personal my Social Security account. We work with external partners to securely verify your identity. We do this to protect your data while making our online services easy for you to use.

Ready to sign up? You can now create your new my Social Security account through either of these two credential partners: Login.gov or ID.me.

  • Login.gov is the public’s one account for simple, secure, and private access to participating U.S. government agencies.
  • ID.me is a single sign-on provider that meets the U.S. government’s online identity proofing and authentication requirements.

A credential includes your username, password, and two-step verification factors. A trusted credential partner helps us securely verify your identity online.

Here is a brief list of some things you need to know when creating or accessing your personal my Social Security account.

I have never accessed my Social Security, and I do not have a Login.gov or ID.me credential:

Visit the my Social Security webpage to get started. You will have the option to create an account with your preferred credential partner, Login.gov or ID.me. Keep in mind:

  • You must be 18 years of age or older and have a Social Security number.
  • You will be redirected to the partner’s website when you select “Sign in with Login.gov” or “Sign in with ID.me.”
  • You must provide a valid email address and some additional information.
  • Once you create the credential, you’ll return to the my Social Security webpage for next steps.

I have never accessed my Social Security, but I already have a Login.gov or ID.me credential:

You can sign in with your credential on the my Social Security webpage and follow the prompts.

I have accessed my Social Security with a Social Security username and password that I created before September 18, 2021:

You should still sign in using your Social Security username and password. This is the first option on the Sign In screen.

I have accessed my Social Security using my existing Login.gov or ID.me credential:

You can sign in to my Social Security using that Login.gov or ID.me credential.

Please encourage your friends and family to create their personal my Social Security account today!

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About the Author

Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. DURWOOD B.

    Looking for my 1098 from ss have not received it in the mail

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Durwood. It sounds like you are referring to the SSA-1099, tax form Social Security mails each year in January to people who receive Social Security benefits. If for any reason you do not receive your SSA-1099 in the mail by January 31, starting on February 1, 2022, you can request a replacement SSA-1099/1042S for Tax Year 2021 by visiting your personal my Social Security account. We hope this helps.

  2. Alan

    If you created a login account before September 18, 2021 can you switch to using login.gov instead? And if you can what is the process for doing so? Do you have to delete your existing account?

    The trouble with the accounts created before September 18, 2021 is that they don’t support phishing-resistant types of multi-factor authentication. Login.gov, on the other hand, does support U2F/Webauthn tokens such as Yubikey that offer a much higher level of security.

  3. Adel E.

    Hi,
    regarding to my Social security amount , it was half because my ex- wife as they told me

    she was born at 9-17-1958 , so if she start take her SS please I have the right in half of her amount
    thanks
    Adel El Hedik

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Adel. Unfortunately, your question is a bit more complex than we can handle in this forum. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We do ask that members in our Blog community refer to their local office on specific questions about their case. If you cannot reach your local office, you can also call 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We hope this helps. 

  4. Rudolph T.

    I tried signing up for MY Social Security and didn’t know if I completed it properly. I found it somewhat confusing.

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Rudolph. We are sorry to hear that. If you are still unable to create an account or encounter a problem with your personal my Social Security account, please call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. At the voice prompt, say “help desk.” We hope this helps.

  5. John C.

    I can get into MySSA no problem. My wife signed up prior to the September changeover to Login.gov but forgot her Username and even unsure of MySSA password. She can now access login.gov but it does not provide any SSA information. When she goes to MySSA and selects ‘forgot username’ it says she doesn’t have an account and when she tries to create an account, it sends her back to Login.gov. Stuck in a do loop. Calls are an eternal nightmare and trying to get an appointment at our regional SSA office is also impossible. Thoughts or suggestions?

    • Melissa L.

      Me too. I’m waiting to see what your answer is. Good Luck!

    • Ann C.

      Hi, John. We are sorry to hear about the difficulties your wife is experiencing. If she created a my Social Security account before September 18, 2021, go to __www.ssa.gov/myaccount  and click on “Sign In” where she enters her username and password. If she created a my Social Security account on September 18, 2021 or later, she signs in using login.gov or id.me because that is what she used to create your account. If she continues to have difficulties, call our dedicated my Social Security Hotline at 1-800-772-1213, and say “helpdesk” at the voice prompt. The help desk is available to callers between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). She can also contact her local Social Security office directly. Look for the general inquiry telephone number using our Social Security Office Locator link. We hope this helps.

       

  6. MARTHA E.

    I have been trying to get into account. When I get to the the request for a security code to be sent I get nothing! I have tried for them to send me the code to my account and also to my email. Still no luck. Any suggestions?

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Martha. We are sorry to hear you have had difficulty accessing your personal my Social Security account. If you are still unable to create an account or encounter a problem with your personal my Social Security account, please call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. At the voice prompt, say “help desk.” We hope this helps.

  7. Cindy

    The Social Security Office sends us a letter saying we have 10 days to respond. It is sent on the Jan10th (per envelope stamp) before Martin Luther King holiday. We receive it on the 1Jan 8th. Now it’s 8 days since it was mailed and we have 2 days left. On the next day I spend 4 hours on the phone only to have the system hang up on me. I call 3 other social security number only to be caught in a loop of your extension is not answering —please leave a message —then the mailbox is full and hang-up. Over a three day time I have called over 40 times during various times of the day with the same result. What do we do now? When you go to My SS no comment? What do you do from here? No way to find out what they are cancelling or not paying attention to. Did the SS staff not go remote like the rest of the world??

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Cindy. We are sorry to hear about your experience. Please continue to work with your local office. You can ask to speak to a manager on your next call. You can also call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Finally, you can submit feedback by visiting our Contact Social Security page. Once there, select the “Email Us” link. This will take you to the “Email A Question to our Support Team” form where you can complete and submit a compliment, complaint, or suggestion. We hope this helps.

       

  8. Bonnie V.

    I need to know if I signed up for Medicare when I fill out my application

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Bonnie. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait if you call later in the day. You can also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.

  9. Graham R.

    I unable to get a response from my local social security office regarding my application. I cannot mail my you original permanent resident card as I need to keep in my possession. I have left messages and sent a letter but no response since the end of last year for my request to show identification in person. Help?

    • Mick B.

      This is all fine and useful but I live overseas and SSA won’t let me set up an online account! I need a US address to do so.

      Will the SSA please review their policy on this? It would make it so much easier for those of us who live outside the US.

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Graham. We are sorry to hear about your experience. Please continue to work with your local office. You can also call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. We hope this helps. 

  10. Jimmy D.

    I appreciate all the effort put into communicating with us, and the information.

Comments are closed.