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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Philip T.
I will need to change the bank in Italy where I currently receive my SS payements, but I am not eligible for a “my social security” account (no US mailing address). How can I modify the name and data of the bank where I wish to receive the benefits?
Dawn h.
Dear Social Security I will call your phone number for missing benefits funding, your Pa office changed my Soical Security with out asking first, they were wrong. On Monday I had to go out to the Social Security in Suitland MD a very unprofessional office -people there are lined up like cattle, and the workers seem to not ever get breaks seeing client after client. All this because of a Social security worker in Pa who needs to be fired or retrained.
A.C.
Hi, Dawn. We are sorry to hear about your experience. You can submit feedback by visiting our Contact Social Security page at http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/reach.htm. 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 is resolved soon.
Carolyn E.
I need to change my address but I saw nothing that said my profile.
jerra j.
Mailed information verification however didnt know takes 30 days for it to be electronical scanned benefits have stopped. Jerra Jean Polley SSI 973 19SS1850B05356
A.C.
Hi, Jerra. 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 7:00 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.
michael a.
my grandmother needs to change her direct deposit information. What information will she need to take with her to her local office. She has early stages of alzhiemers and i have power of attourney over her. She has had some fraud with her bank account.
A.C.
Hi, Michael. Thank you for your question. Keep in mind, because of privacy and security concerns, Social Security cannot speak to you about your grandmother’s benefits. If your grandmother is not capable of managing and directing her Social Security benefits, someone should consider applying to be her representative payee. Even though you are power of attorney, you, or someone else, would still need to apply to serve as her payee. To learn more about becoming a representative payee, you can read our publication, “A Guide for Representative Payees” and visit the web page here. You can also call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to request an appointment. If she is able to visit her local office, she can provide the banking information, account and routing numbers, to update her direct deposit information. We hope this information helps.
Amanda B.
My daughter became a US Citizen last year and we need to know what to do with regard to informing Social Security office. What to take, where to go and if appointment is needed?
Ryan B.
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Elaine P.
Got a letter saying you guys wont give me my benefits for june after i reported my changes
Yolanda H.
If my mom move out of state will her disability check change?
A.C.
Hi, Yolanda. Thanks for your question. It is very important that your mother reports her new address to her local Social Security office. There are times when Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit determinations and Medicaid benefits are affected by an applicant’s living arrangement. If she is receiving Social Security Disability, her change of address would not affect her benefit. We hope this helps.
Sherrie W.
I have recently received a call from the following number telling me there is fraudulent activity using my social security number: 415-324-8728. I never respond to these calls but wanted to report the number to the social security administration.
A.C.
Thanks for letting us know, Sherrie. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams, here. You can find additional information here. We hope this helps.