Reporting Changes is Your Responsibility
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 6, 2023
If you receive benefits from Social Security, you have a legal obligation to report changes, which could affect your eligibility for disability, retirement, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. You must report any changes that may affect your benefits immediately, and no later than 10 days after the end of the month in which the change occurred.
Changes you need to report range from a change of address to traveling outside the United States for 30 consecutive days. To get a list of reporting responsibilities under disability, please read our publication, What You Need to Know When You get Social Security Disability Benefits, and for SSI, read What You Need to Know When You Get Supplemental Security Income. If you’re receiving retirement benefits, What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement or Survivors Benefits is also helpful.
Life changes can affect your benefits. You may be due additional payments, or you may be overpaid and have to pay us back because you didn’t report the overpayment in a timely manner. The SSI program may apply a penalty that will reduce your benefits if you fail to report a change, or if you reported the change later than 10 days after the end of the month in which the change occurred. If you fail to report changes in a timely way, or if you intentionally make a false statement, we may stop your SSI, disability, and retirement benefits. We may also impose a sanction against your payments. The first sanction is a loss of payments for six months. Subsequent sanctions are for 12 and 24 months.
You can report your change online, or by calling toll free at 1-800-772-1213. If you’re deaf or hearing-impaired call TTY 1-800-325-0778. Mail the information to your local Social Security office or in person if you prefer. If you receive SSI, you should ask about our options to use the automated toll-free SSI Telephone Wage Reporting Service or the free SSA Mobile Wage Reporting app.
If you receive benefits and need to change your address or direct deposit, you can conveniently do so by creating a personal my Social Security account.
Get the right check, in the right amount, at the right time, by reporting changes right away!
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Tags: retirement benefits, SSI, supplemental security income, survivors benefits
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Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications
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Linda S.
I would appreciate, a phone call, to check on a form, that was mailed to me. It is in regard to my disability check, that $134.00, will be taken out each month for Medicare. I will not have enough then to pay all my bills. Thank You, .Linda Smith. 425-998-3565
Erik t.
I turned everything I have current fax date and it still stands provableness from doctor references proof calls on phone assistance checker..please approve. Just ask your nearest El Cajon office. Erik tricky Ortega. *** – ** – ***.
DOB 10/20/1980.
Send to that office anything and checks..if not please tell me more information for me to know and maybe an explain…something good for me…it spells it out for you. Sincerely Erik t. Ortega.
Nicole D.
I wish to report a change in my rent . Recently I moved into my mother’s home. She is charging me rent. 650.00$. I am curious what I have To do to verify this with you.
R.F.
Hi Nicole, if you’re receiving SSI benefits, you will need to report the change of your new living arrangement and provide a copy of your “rental agreement” to your local Social Security office.
Please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 for further assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thanks!
Carolyn m.
I just got my online ss account not to long ago as I approach retirement i notice last sept 2010 my earnings were reported wrong in sept i sent all the correct information
But still no answer is it to late to report this.
I dont make alot of money but every little bit helps
R.F.
Thank you for contacting us, Carolyn. If your earnings records are not corrected yet, you may need to go into your local Social Security office for a follow up. When you go, you will need to provide proper ID and evidence of your missing earnings. We can use documents such as W-2s, pay stubs, etc.
Also, you should know that as long as you can provide us with supporting documents, we can make the correction at the time of your application for retirement benefits and prior to establishing your monthly payments.
Please read our publication “How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record” for more information.
To make an appointment or for further assistance, you can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. We hope this helps.
Brenda W.
If you own your home and just can’t take take care of it any more. With out no love one living in that state and what to move to the state with your one one. So you decide to turn or your home to sisters. So you can get into low cost housing. Will your SSI stop.
R.F.
Hi Brenda. Please read our publication “What You Need to Know When You Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)” or call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 and speak to one of our agents. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thanks!
Christine M.
my medical bills are not getting paid because my Real Insurance that I pay for keeps telling me I have Medicare, I do not have medicare . I have been to SS office several times and given them a lot of filled forms , that I am working full time and pay for my own Insurance, yet my medical bills are not getting paid . My insurance company will not pay because they say I have medicare. So no one is getting paid, I am getting bad reports on my credit score . Please remove me from Medicare I do not have it. Last time I was at SS office was two weeks ago and they stated they would fix it again. It is not fixed! If I have medicare then medicare is not paying my medical bill either. I DO NOT HAVE MEDICARE! Please fix this matter it has been going on for over a year.
R.F.
We apologize for the delay and inconveniences you are experiencing, Christine. Unfortunately, but for security reasons, we do not have access to personal records in this blog. Please continue working with your local office. You can request to speak with the office manager to see how we can help to expedite resolution of your situation. If you are unable to visit the local office, you can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thanks.
LaDonna J.
I want to change my address and my husbands. Lowell N Green ***-**-**** and mine LaDonna J Green from 542 N Main, Arlington, OH to 2800 S Main St, Apt 103, Findlay, Ohio. 45840
Carol L.
I plan on retiring from SAU#74, Barrington, NH in June of 2018. Will this change any benefits and when do I have to sign up
for Medicare for hospitalization (part B?)
Joanna C.
If I move from California to Idaho will my disability benefits change. If so by how much?
Clay W.
I changed my address on line at ssa.gov 2 months ago and am still getting mail sent to the old address. Who’s responsibility is it to actually get the change made and get the mail sent to the correct address????? Please make the change! I don’t have an hour and a half to wait on the phone to talk to someone about this.
R.F.
We apologize for this inconvenience, Clay. We do not have access to personal records in this blog and cannot update your record.
In your situation, you will need to speak to one of our representatives. Generally, when calling our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, you will have a shorter wait time, if you call later during the day or later in the week. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Or contact your local Social Security office. Thanks.