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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Shannon
Been calling for a while but can never get through my question is my mother and her husband been married over 10 years both receive SSDI my mother receive more than her husband but recently her illness is making it harder for her husband to take care of her in the home. She prefers to live with me(daughter) than to go into a nursing home but is concern about her husband being able to afford the bills without her assistance. Since they have been splitting the bills for years. My question is Can he receive any kind of pension or benefits, finanical assiatance from spousal benefits without a divorce due her illness causing them to live separate. to maintain the household they shared. Basically is it any kind of help he could receive, im aware he could if she become deceased.
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diorah r.
Hi again, I only receive $41.00 a month, cannot pay rent, utilities, barely able to contribute to gas for transport to and from mental therapy, drs, grocery shopping, or other things I need. I am probably, NOW, going to have to have my 13 year old, 20 pound baby (pom mix dog) put down because I cannot afford to feed him.
diorah r.
hi, I applied for ssi was approved, told I would get one or two paper checks, I applied for direct express card, called ss office was told ok. my friends bank alerted him of improper deposit to his account, he thought it was a fraud attempt and had it sent back. now my ssi payment has stopped. what did I or he do wrong? how can I straighten this mess out, I am now believing I am going to lose my room and end up on the streets. also, how do I find out about a husband I have not seen in 20 years.
R.F.
Hi Diorah. Unfortunately, your situation is a bit more complex than we can handle in this forum. For your security, we do not have access to information about your account in this venue. Please contact your local Social Security office or call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. for assistance. For help regarding Direct Express, please contact 1-800-333-1795. Thanks!
PAUL C.
When I turned legal age to collect social security I was still working and after ten years of paying back to social security I am back working and still paying back but social security and medicare is still being deducted from my check. It is unfair that I have worked all my life and my health care was taken away from me because the company took advantage of the plan that congress enacted in 2008 that said that if you are eligible for medicare the retirement package that you worked for the health insurance benefit in the retirement package did not have to be honored. Social Security is a joke.
celia c.
I have attempted to submit a change of address, after entering all the information a message came up unable to do so on information submitted. I entered correctly every question, where do I go now?
R.F.
Thank you for using our online services, Celia! If you are not yet receiving any type of Social Security benefits, you don’t need to change your address with us at this time. If you are receiving Social Security benefits and are having problems with changing your address online, please call 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. After you hear “Briefly tell me why you are calling,” say “Help Desk” for help with a my Social Security account. If you need further assistance, you may want to visit your local Social Security office. If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income, you must report the new address to your local Social Security office.
Jennifer E.
Can I call the local SS office and change my address or do I have to go in person?
R.F.
Hello Jennifer, if you are receiving Social Security benefits, you can create a my Social Security account to change your address online. If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income, you must report the new address to your local Social Security office. If you are not yet receiving benefits, you don’t need to change your address with us at this time.
Eleanor
Thank you for replying to my question. I will continue to try to reach someone by phone or in person.
Eleanor
My son’s January 2016 disability SSI check posted on 12/30/15 (1st time ever before 2nd or 3rd of the month) and it was $314.80 LESS. We have received no notification or explication of benefit reductions. Payment PPD ID number was different than previously which makes me wonder if this is correct. Cannot reach anyone by phone. Can this be resolved on-line in a private chat?
R.F.
We are sorry to hear that you are having difficulty reaching someone by phone, Eleanor. Our phone lines are busiest early in the week and early in the month. If you are calling during those times, it is possible that the queue is full and we cannot place any additional calls on hold. Representatives at our toll free number 1-800-772-1213 are available between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later in the day or later in the week.
At this time we do not provide live chat service and can only provide general information on our Retirement, Survivors, Disability, Medicare and SSI programs on this blog. If you have a general question, we encourage you to ask it here. But remember, never post personal information on social media. We value your thoughts and will use your feedback and suggestions to further improve the services we offer. Thanks!
Keon
I’m turning 18 on January the 8th . I had the information filled out and mailed out to continue receiving benefits while I’m in high school. I wanted to know what month and day will the money start being deposited in my account ?
bob
I came abroad to visit sick family member not knowing i had to report I am going to report it even though Im going back soon.. will they penalize me for reporting late?