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Social Security Launches Redesigned Website at SSA.gov

December 6, 2022 • By

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Last Updated: November 2, 2023

Social Security Administration LogoStarting today, visitors to SSA.gov will experience a fresh homepage and a new design to help them find what they need more easily.

SSA.gov is visited by over 180 million people per year and it is one of our most important tools for providing efficient and equitable access to service,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. “Whether providing service in person or online, our goal is to help people understand what they may qualify for and seamlessly transition them to an application process.” Improved self-service capability allows people to skip calling or visiting an office, which helps Social Security staff focus on those visitors who need in-person assistance.

Reimagined website prioritizes customer experience

Part of ongoing efforts to improve how the public can do business with the agency, the redesign is intended to provide a clear path to the tasks customers need to accomplish. Many of the most visited sections of SSA.gov are now live with a more user-friendly and task-based approach. New pages and improvements based on public feedback will continue to be unveiled in the coming months.

Visitors to SSA.gov can use interactive tools to:

Check eligibility for benefits

The new benefit eligibility screener is a convenient and simple way for people to learn if they might be eligible for benefits.

Save time on Social Security Number (SSN) and card online services

If a person loses their SSN card, they may not need a replacement. In most cases, simply knowing their SSN is enough. If a person does need a replacement card, they may be able to request it online by visiting our Social Security Number and Card page. Individuals can also start an application for an updated card or request an SSN for the first time. People may never need to visit an office and, if they do need to visit an office to complete the application, they will save a lot of time by starting online.

Start an application for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

People can start the application process online and request an appointment to apply for SSI benefits by answering a few questions on our SSI page.

Apply for Social Security benefits and other online services

For most benefits, people can apply online or start an application online. In many cases, there are no forms to sign. The agency will review the application and reach out with questions or for more information. Visit our Online Services page to apply for retirement, disability, or Medicare.

Many Social Security services do not require the public to take time to visit an office. Using a my Social Security account, a personalized online service, people can start or change direct deposit, or request a replacement SSA-1099. For individuals already receiving Social Security benefits, they can print or download a current Benefit Verification Letter if they need proof of their benefits.

People not yet receiving benefits can use their online account to get a personalized Social Security Statement, which provides their earnings information as well as estimates of their future benefits. The portal also includes a retirement calculator and links to information about other online services. The agency encourages people without a my Social Security account to create one today on our website.

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  1. Donald T.

    Cant access my account. Screen is blank except for word “loading”.
    .

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Donald. We are sorry to hear you have had difficulty accessing your account. If you are still unable to access your 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.

  2. gregory t.

    I need to update my direct deposit bank info.
    Do I need to go to an office?

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Gregory. Thanks for your question. If you are receiving Social Security retirement or disability, you can create a personal my Social Security account to change your direct deposit online. If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income, you should contact your local Social Security office immediately. We hope this helps.

  3. Dierk

    I try since days now to get into my social security account. It opened but I get a blank page and a little pop up window on the right side saying Get Help. Weeks ago everything was working okay and I could see my data. What has changed?

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Dierk. We are sorry to hear you have had difficulty accessing your account. If you are still unable to access your 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.

  4. Jacqui T.

    I have been unable to access my account for months. When I received the email informing me of the launch of your new website I immediately tried it. When I signed in and typed in my secure code that I received as a text to my phone I get a page that says “loading…” in the upper left and lower right has a blue “button” labeled “Get Help.” I waited on that page for over 30 minutes and it never changed.
    What am I missing?

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Jacqui. We are sorry to hear you have had difficulty accessing your account. If you are still unable to access your 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. Sandra S.

    I’ve also have not been able to access my account for a month or so it kept bringing up UI but would not help.

  6. Mike D.

    I have not been able to log onto the SSA.Gov website for several weeks also. Error message says ” Cannot process your request at this time, try again later”
    I talked to an SSA agent today and after trying the suggestions she had, (try logging in again, try a different browser, etc) I convinced her it was not on my end. She was unaware of any issue with logging in problems. She checked internally and found out there was an issue and told me just to keep trying. How can this be? How can a site be totally redesigned and rolled out without adequate testing? She had no info on what was being done to address the issue or how long it will be. Apparently this has been going on a month already. Why is it I feel as a country we are going backwards? This should be an embarrassment to the SSA but I feel it is not. I see or hear nothing about the issue in the news but I assume millions of people cannot access their information right now and if they call they spend a lifetime on the phone to get a non-answer. I expect a generic robot response from this blog as soon as I post this comment with a suggestion to call the help desk, which according to many posts here is just as frustrating and another waste of time.
    Good luck out there!

    • robert z.

      Wow – I thought I was the only one!
      I can log in, but cannot find the ‘replace documents’ tab referenced in so many web pages.
      Tried desktop PS/Windows 10 Firefox,Chrome,and Edge browsers.
      Kindle with Silk browser.

  7. Mike

    When will the replacement forms options be available on the new website?

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Mike. Thanks for your question. You may find this page helpful. Not all forms are listed. If you can’t find the form you need, or you need help completing a form, please call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or contact your local Social Security office and we will help you. If you download, print and complete a paper form, please mail or take it to your local Social Security office or the office that requested it from you. We hope this helps. 

  8. Emilie B.

    Have been trying to access my account and after I enter my security code, it asks if I want to access my info or my representative payee’s. I choose mine and it then has a pop up box asking me to download “bec-manage-ui”. I can’t access my account at all because of this.
    Don’t get this for the representative payee. Only mine. Please fix this!

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Emilie. We are sorry to hear you have had difficulty accessing your account. If you are still unable to access your 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.

  9. Ann P.

    With the redesign of the website the link for replacement forms has disappeared though the help menu and any searches say that it should still be there.

    Please put it back on the “refreshed” home page – it is maddening!

    • Eric M.

      This is driving me crazy. Can’t find any link for a 1099!

      • Ann C.

        Hi, Eric. Thanks for your comment. The SSA-1099 is mailed by January 31 each year. If for any reason you do not receive your SSA-1099 in the mail by then, starting on February 1, 2023, you can request a replacement SSA-1099/1042S for Tax Year 2022 by visiting your personal my Social Security account. We hope this helps.

        • robert z.

          Ann C:

          As a retired computer programmer, I know how frustrating it can be to get questions about which you can do nothing.
          Please, can we get the web page to state ‘SSA-1099 forms not yet download-able’???
          Please?

    • robert z.

      You are not alone!
      Yes, it is maddening.

      • Claude B.

        You r right it is nuts .Where is the 1099 replacement. I m cutrently overseas i want to view it on line. Where n how

  10. Joseph G.

    I’ve been trying to access my SSA online account and I’m getting a dialogue box that reads DO YOU NEED HELP. When I called the representative he did not know how to correct it. Apparently they have me listed as a payee or representative which is incorrect.
    I would simply like to access my social account

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Joseph. We are sorry to hear about your experience. We encourage you to work with your local Social Security office for assistance. You can also 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 is resolved soon. 

    • Joseph g.

      Need information on this plz

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