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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Thomas J.
I live in Mexico and want to change my marital status. Please tell me the website I should use and any other procedures I must follow to submit the change correctly.
V.V.
Hi Thomas. If you’re asking about the affect a marriage may have on benefits, check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page for details.
We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact the nearest Federal Benefit Unit or U.S. embassy in the area for any assistance related to Social Security programs and benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad.
Marjie
Can a Rep Payee cash the check or must it be deposited into a Rep Payee account
A.C.
Hi, Marjie. As of March 1, 2013, if an individual receives their benefits by paper check, they are out of compliance with the law. Social Security will send an individual a paper check only if they meet one of the exceptions. The Treasury Department will grant exceptions to the rule only in rare circumstances. Check recipients living in remote areas without sufficient banking infrastructure may apply for a waiver, as well as check recipients for whom electronic payments would impose a hardship due to a mental impairment. Automatic waivers are granted to people born on or before May 1, 1921, and people who qualify for this waiver do not need to submit an application. To add direct deposit information, please call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday but you will generally have a shorter wait time if you call later in the day. Direct Express may be another option for you. Typically, there are no sign-up fees or monthly account fees. Many other card services are free. Additional information about the Direct Express card is available at http://www.USDirectExpress.com. We hope this information helps!
Bob B.
I need to update my elderly mother’s mailing address. She is in a rehabilitation facility and unable to communicate effectively. I am her authorized rep. and power of attorney. I am now getting all of my mother’s mail to manage her finances.
Patricia W.
Not sure where or who I need to contact, but I would like to register a complaint against a representative at the Conroe, Texas office. I called this morning 3/5/2019 around 11:30am to find out about SS spousal benefits. The rep talked very fast so I did not get her name. I gave her all the info she asked for – SS#, birthdate, etc for both my husband and myself. After she explained everything to me I told her I would like to make an appt to do this in person as I have a hard time understanding and I am better with face to
face explanations. She never made an appt for me, but told me she would mail the info to me. At least twice I asked for her name, but on the second attempt she hung up on me. Not a very good representative for a government employee. I do not appreciate this rude behavior out of anyone. Why was it so hard for her to tell me her name? Was she wrong in her explanation and didn’t want it coming back on her? Who knows. The people working in this capacity must be trained better. We are not all as educated as others, and sometimes need extra explanations. I thank you for your time, and hope that this will not happen to anyone else.
A.C.
Hi, Patricia. We are sorry to hear about your experience. If you wish to submit feedback related to your experience, visit 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.
T.Knight
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I want to know if your Father is getting his social security checks, not for a disability check. He is now 75 yrs old his birthday was just in January on the 15th. He is married but they both last year fell ill and couldn’t take care of each other alone. They both have memory issues, his wife actually has dementia. So he is now staying alone and the family kinda take turns to make sure he is doing well. He had to leave where he was living with his wife and had to change his bank account as well. So that required him to get his new address info into Social Security and also his new bank account info. We tried to set up and do online to do his account to get it to them and it kicked back saying error and would have to call them or go down in person. He has been in and out of the hospital and can’t go down there. So tried calling and he has memory issues so he can’t remember all the questions, and they won’t allow anyone to help him with the answers. I understand all this is for his protection but it has really put him in a bad spot! He is too impatient to wait on the phone for that long to get aggravated, all upset, and mad with them on the phone that he will hang up and he can’t call back by himself so it’s made it to the point of only being able to do all of this through the mail. He thought he sent it to his bank to get it done in time, but the wrong info was on the form. So that slowed it down getting there and then he sent it back without his ss# on it so yet again they had to send it back to him to complete it over again. What that consisted of is him having us help him get it mailed to the bank, then the bank did their part and mailed to the social security office, only for it to be mailed back to him from the social security office to fix it and then like I said it all happened a second time! This started 11/03/18, that day he just happened to call the bank at the right time. He caught that check from being sent back because of the account # being changed. Thankfully he caught it as I said. So the last check he received was 11/03/2018. Then the check for 12/03/18, 01/03/2019, 02/03/2019 and he still hasn’t heard back from them. Today is 03/04/19 and still nothing in the mail. That makes it also for the check for 03/03/2019 that he hasn’t received yet. I know he was responsible as it says everywhere to get this info in. However, it’s not like he hasn’t been trying! They could’ve mailed them to him! Now he is due for 4 months! That is around $5 thousand dollars! He is behind on everything, he had his water shut off and his electric was almost cut off! But luckily we were able to help him a little with some things. But he has to get these other things caught up, or he’s gonna lose everything! These 4 checks are owed to him and are the only way he will be able to make it! I’m asking you will he get all that is owed to him? How will that work? I’m assuming they will just deposit all of them into his new account that they now have the info for? But this is crazy what they’ve done. I mean I know everything is paperless but they should’ve at least under these circumstances mail his checks to him. While in the meantime of them getting set up with direct deposit to his new bank account! If you can please email me any info or what you recommend me to do?
A.C.
Hi. We are sorry to hear about your father’s experience. Unfortunately, your questions are a bit more complex than we can handle in this forum. For his security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community to continue to work with our offices with specific questions. He can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, he will have a shorter wait if he calls later in the day. He can also contact his local Social Security office. He can ask to speak to a manager on his next visit or call. If he wishes to submit feedback related to his experience, he can visit our Contact Social Security page. Once there, he can select the “Email Us” link. This will take him to the “Email a Question to our Support Team” form, where he can complete and submit a compliment, complaint, or suggestion. We hope this is resolved soon.
Joan F.
I have just moved and changed my address with Social Security on line. Because I have moved out of state I now need to change my medical coverage. How do I do that?
Sai t.
Hi, I got a call from some number saying that my Social security is blocked. I have told them all the details of mine. Please help me with that
V.V.
Hi Sai: If the caller is claiming to be from Social Security—it is critical that you pay attention to the tone and content of the message from the caller. In some cases, the caller states that Social Security does not have all of your personal information, such as your Social Security number (SSN), on file. Other callers claim Social Security needs additional information so the agency can increase your benefit payment, or they threaten that Social Security will terminate your benefits if they do not confirm your information. This appears to be a widespread issue, as reports have come from people across the country. These calls are not from Social Security.
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from Social Security, we urge you to always be cautious and to avoid providing sensitive information such as your SSN or bank account information. Never reveal personal data to a stranger who calls you, and never send the stranger money via wire transfer or gift cards.
Social Security employees will never threaten you for information; they will not state that you face potential arrest or other legal action if you fail to provide information or pay a fee. In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up. If you receive these calls, report the information to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online at oig.ssa.gov/report.
Kay L.
I’m totally frustrated with the online procedure we try to complete for the creation of “my Social Security Account.” If I mistakenly type “street” instead of “avenue” or type “Company” instead of “Inc.” when attempting to enter the exact name for the company I pay my mortgage to, etc., I’m locked out of the entire application for 24 hrs. w/ no idea what mistake I’ve made, so there’s a good chance I’ll make the same mistake again!!! I’m simply informed, oh well too bad, try again tomorrow. Today was my fourth try. NO MORE! I’M DONE! I have no idea what it is I’m not entering correctly and now I just don’t care anymore. It’s snowing and I can’t get to my local SS office for a couple more days, so will keep trying to reach them by phone. Our entire county has been without power since 4a this morning, so SS has been closed, but hopefully I’ll be able to reach someone tomorrow for assistance. I have to be able to change my home address with Medicare & SS NOW, or new supplemental insurance applications I’m trying to submit won’t be accepted by the ins. co. my broker is attempting to submit them to. It’s just a lousy program that’s lacking important, necessary assistance.
Thank you for listening to my meltdown. Best regards.
V.V.
We are sorry that you are having trouble creating a my Social Security account. To pass the verification process, we match the personal information you give us with the data we have in our records. Then, we use our Identity Services Provider to further verify your identity.
If you do go into your local office for assistance, a representative can verify your identity and issue you a letter containing an activation code. You can use the activation code to complete the creation of your my Social Security account. Select “Finish Setting Up Your Account” and enter the information requested, including the account activation code.
Debra
My sister passed away on January 20,2019.Is she entitled to any of the February payment?I read that you pay a month behind.So payments for January are paid in February is that true??
A.C.
Hi, Debra. We are sorry to hear of your loss.This may not be the news you were hoping to hear, but we wanted you to hear it straight from us. To be eligible for Social Security benefits, a person has to live throughout the entire month to receive his or her check. Therefore, when a person passes away, Social Security benefits are not payable for the month in which a beneficiary dies. This applies whether the person dies on the first or the last day of the month. And, if no spouse or child meeting the eligibility requirements exists, survivor benefits are not payable. Thanks.
alesha b.
Hello I am trying to figure out were I can fax in pay-stubs for my son, My worker is Kim vancouver wa
V.V.
Hi Alesha, thank you for using our blog. To obtain information on a specific office, please use the Social Security office locator.
Keep in mind that there are many options for reporting wages. There’s the automated toll-free SSI Telephone Wage Reporting Service, the free SSI Mobile Wage Reporting Smartphone app, or the my Social Security online wage reporting tool.