This Fall, Fall Into an Online Account with my Social Security
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 6, 2023
As the sounds of summer quiet down, and the air turns cooler, you’ll want to check out your favorite football team, check your furnace settings, and check your earnings in your Social Security Statement online.
Opening a free personal my Social Security account is convenient and secure. Once you establish an account, you’ll have access to a wealth of information. For example, you can get an estimate of your future retirement benefits, get an estimate of your benefits should you become disabled, and verify your earnings history.
Are you a person who prefers to read materials with paper in hand? Fear not, as my Social Security allows you to view, print, and save your full Statement. This option is especially important, because we only mail paper statements to most beneficiaries every five years.
If you’re already receiving benefits, my Social Security is also a great tool! Once you establish a personal my Social Security account, you’ll be able to change your address or update your direct deposit, print a benefit verification letter, get a replacement Medicare card and a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S statement.
While you’re visiting our website to establish your personal my Social Security account, you’ll want to check out our new redesigned website. We’ve changed the look of the site based on your feedback and made it easier to navigate and more accessible on mobile devices.
Establishing a secure account on my Social Security has never been easier and can be done in as little as 15 minutes — so there’s no reason to delay. You’ll be asked some basic questions to verify your identity. Then you’ll choose a user name and password. Pretty soon you’ll be registered with full access.
At Social Security, our highest priority is protecting the privacy and security of the personal information we maintain on you and almost every American, so you can rest assured that doing business online with us is both safe and secure.
When the leaves show brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow this fall, you’ll want to show that you’re part of the millions of people who have chosen to establish a personal my Social Security account.
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Tags: my Social Security, my Social Security account, online services, social security, SSA
See CommentsAbout the Author
Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications
Comments
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Jenniffer
I tried to create an account and it locked me out saying it couldn’t create an account for me even though I gave it all the right information. Am I still going to get my statement in the mail since it wouldn’t let me create an account or will it stop me from getting one mailed to me now?
R.F.
Hi Jenniffer. We are sorry you are having issues setting up your account. To assist you, we have established a dedicated “My Social Security” Hotline. To reach this hotline, call 1-800-772-1213, and select the prompt “For help with registering or using the MySocialSecurity website”. The help desk will be available to callers between 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). Or contact your local Social Security office.
James
Americans living overseas cannot open a My Social Security account. I visited the US embassy in Bangkok and the representative didn’t even know what the account is-much less offer assistance. This is not an embassy problem-it should be solved by the US government by making access to the account available for American residing overseas. Please fix this problem. Also, if we move to a new address while living overseas it presents a problem of not getting our verification letter from SSA. Thai post offices do not forward any mail. Is there a form I can use to notify SSA of my new address?
R.F.
We apologize for the inconvenience James, and appreciate you trying to use our online services. At this time you must have a U. S. mailing address to create or to access your online account. The “my Social Security” authentication system requires address verification as one of the essential criteria for issuing an account. People with APO/FPO/DPO addresses can create an account overseas, but our system does not support registration and account creation for users with a foreign address yet. Please contact the local U.S. embassy or consulate for any assistance related to your Social Security benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this information helps!
James W.
If I live outside the US and receive benefits, how can I set up a Social Security account to review my data? The online application requires a US address.
Assistance would be helpful
A.C.
Hi, James. Unfortunately, you must have a U.S. mailing address to access your online account. However, you can contact your local Embassy or Consulate to find out information about your benefits. Thanks!
Regina B.
I Have given all the correct information but now I’m locked out
R.F.
Hello Regina! If you are having difficulties with your personal my Social Security account, 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. Sometimes, it might be best to visit your local Social Security office for further assistance.
Lydia
Sir: I live in overseas and if I can’t access in my Social Security account at this time under this new signing up situation.To be frankly to ask this question,
Do I still get pay anyway even I can’t access my account with SMS verification.
Best Regards,
R.F.
Hello Lydia, your Social Security payments should continue, regardless of whether or not you have access to your account. We would like to let you know that we removed the requirement to use a cell phone to access your my Social Security account. In addition, we ask our beneficiaries living abroad and needing assistance with their Social Security benefits to contact the nearest U.S. embassy.
Lydia
Thank you for your all your help,
Peter
The 10-digit requirement for the cell phone number to login is very shortsighted in a global world and basically excludes all of us that are US citizens living abroad. We all have local mobile phones,so the website should accept +country code followed by cell phone number.
Please do not reply with the copy-paste mantra we have been seeing above. Do something……
Michel
I am dismayed that this problem regarding foreign cell phone numbers is not addressed in a more professional manner. You constantly repeat in each answer that the person must have a 10-digit cell phone number when people here are telling you that they live abroad, like myself, and exceed 10 digits because of the country code. My only solution will be to have a msg sent to a family member in the USA who receives the code on their US cell phone and then forwards it to me. In this age of online everything, doesn’t the SSA realize that there are 100s of thousands of Americans living abroad who now only have cell phone numbers in the country they live in? This had nothing to do with roaming charges, etc. This has to do with FOREIGN cell phones that have more than 10 digits or require an international country code in order to function. Like those above, I am very dismayed by this new measure!
Thomas H.
I live overseas and I have had a My Social Security account for some time, However, with the new cellphone verification system I cannot access my account because the system only accepts 10 digit phone numbers and numbers with a country code have more than 10 digits. This seems very shortsighted and provincial and has dropped thousands or not tens of thousands of overseas beneficiaries from accessing their accounts. What gives? Surely you can do what my banks and credit companies do and accept international phone numbers. This is 2016 and this technology has been in place for a decade or more. Thank you and I look forward to your reply.
R.F.
Hi Thomas, if your cell phone can receive texts, you will still be able to access your account but keep in mind that your cell phone provider’s text message and data rates may apply. If you are overseas and cannot receive text messages or are concerned about roaming charges, you will not be able to access your account. Our webpage Services Around the World provides important information for our customers residing overseas. Please contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance related to Social Security benefits.
Thomas
Did you even read my reply? Once again: The My Social Security phone verification system only accepts 10 digit phone numbers and most overseas numbers have 11 or more digits. Please address the actual issue I am discussing here. Thank you
Thomas
Once again, the issue is not date charges or not being able to receive texts. The issue is that the My Social Security verification system only accepts 10 digit phone numbers while my phone, and most overseas phones, have 11 or more digits due to country codes. When I enter my cell phone number I get a “Please enter valid phone number” error because I have more than 10 digits. Please address this particular issue rather than a general reply which does not address the specific issue. Thank you.
R.F.
We apologize for the misunderstanding Thomas. The reason that you are getting the error is because “my Social Security” does not support cell phone numbers more than 10 digits at this time. We currently support international phone numbers only if they are within the North American numbering plan of 10 digits. For more information about the use of a cell phone with my Social Security, visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page.
Teresa D.
I moved from US to Poland. Could I open mySocial Security online account using my US friend’s address?
R.F.
Thank you for using our blog to communicate with us Teresa! The “my Social Security” authentication system requires address verification as one of the essential criteria for issuing an account. People with APO/FPO/DPO addresses can create an account overseas, but our system does not support registration and account creation for users with a foreign address yet. For assistance related to your Social Security benefits, please contact your local U.S. embassy or consulate.
Thomas H.
That is strange because I opened a My Social Security Account from Vietnam where I live and have been able to access it until the new phone verification system started recently. I don’t understand why overseas residents are discriminated against because certainly the technology exists to allow international phone numbers to be used in this type of system.
The Manila Social Security office is excellent but I miss being able to log into my personal S.S. account.
R.F.
If your cell phone can receive texts, you will still be able to access your account but keep in mind that your cell phone provider’s text message and data rates may apply. If you are overseas and cannot receive text messages or are concerned about roaming charges, you will not be able to access your account. Our webpage Services Around the World provides important information for our customers residing overseas.
Thomas
Data charges are not the issue. The verification system will only accept 10 digit cell phone numbers and my phone has 11 digits which the system does not accept. “Please enter valid phone number” error.
Sophia
This is good news as it helps when everything is in one place and you can easily access your information. More and more people are doing all their business online now, so it makes sense that you should be able to access your social security online. I will set up an account and I also need to order a new card so hopefully that will be a quick process.
R.F.
We appreciate your positive feedback, Sophia. We also thank you for creating your personal my Social Security account and using our services online. Please visit our “New or Replacement Social Security Number and Card” web page, to learn more on the process and what documents you will need to get a card. We hope this helps!