Why It’s Important to Tell Us About Changes When You Get Social Security Benefits
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: August 1, 2024
If you receive Social Security, you can help to make sure we pay you the right benefit each month. You can do that by telling us about relationship or other life changes that could affect your eligibility for retirement, survivors, or disability benefits – or your benefit amount.
You and your family may miss out on additional payments you may be due if you don’t report changes to us in a timely manner. Or you may be overpaid benefits and have to pay us back.
What you need to tell us
To make sure you are paid correctly and receive the payments for which you are eligible, let us know right away if:
- You get married or divorced.
- Your spouse or former spouse dies.
- You become the parent of a child (including an adopted child).
- The child (or stepchild) who gets benefits on your record gets married.
- The child (or stepchild) who gets benefits on your record no longer lives with you. Note: We will need the name and address of the person with whom the child is living.
How to report changes
We offer several ways to report changes:
- Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Call your local Social Security office.
- Fax, mail, or deliver your updates to your local office.
If you get retirement, survivors, or disability benefits and need to update your address, phone number, or direct deposit, it’s easy to make those changes with your personal my Social Security account. Or you can use our automated telephone services.
Where to learn more
For a complete list of your reporting responsibilities, please refer to our publications, What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement or Survivors Benefits or What You Need to Know When You Get Social Security Disability Benefits.
If you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, you have extra reporting responsibilities. They are listed in our publication, What You Need to Know When You Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Get the right check, in the right amount, at the right time, by reporting changes right away!
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Tags: Disability, General Information, retirement benefits, Social Security benefits, SSI, survivors benefits
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Michele
I dropped out of college while I was getting survivors benefits I received a wavier I thought for 250$ to my Surprise _44 years later SS said I was over paid 400 $ and so they deducted from my benefits. I assumed the wavier covered me because it caused a hardship then and now even more so it does. I’m disabled
S.S.
Hi Michele, thank you for using our blog. For security reasons, we do not have access to personal information in this venue. It may be best for you to visit your local Social Security office to discuss your overpayment. Hope this helps!
Ted C.
How do I change my marital status on line? I can’t find anywhere to do that on the web site
S.S.
Hi Ted. Thanks for your question. If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your marriage may affect your eligibility, because eligibility is based, in part, on the income and resources available to you and your spouse, your living arrangements, and the number of people in the household. You can visit our Social Security Income Resources page for information about SSI resources. You can also call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
If you legally change your name because of marriage or divorce, you must tell Social Security so you can get a replacement SSN card with your correct legal name. You will need evidence of your identity, your new legal name, and name change event. Sometimes you also may need to prove your current U.S. citizenship or lawful noncitizen status. To change your name online, visit our Social Security Number and card page. For more information about name changes click here. We hope this information is helpful.
Premlata V.
My aunt currently lives in India. Every year SS mail a verification form to complete and mail to Manila, Philippines office. Mail get lost in India all the time. My aunt is IT illiterate. She can’t complete the form online so I contacted Manila office and provided my aunt’s info as attachment. Manila office wants the original which my aunt had to send it by mail service. I had to follow up with several emails till they confirmed they have received the original. Why can’t she just go to US embassy in Mumbai and hand deliver?
She is coming to NY soon for a month. Can someone email me the form so she can complete and take it to SS office in NY?
S.S.
Hi, Premlata. Thanks for reading our blog and for your questions. If your aunt wishes to speak with a representative, please call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Or she can contact her local Social Security office. If she’s still living abroad, visit our Office of Earnings and International Operations webpage for information about service around the world. Many of our forms are available online. We hope this helps.
Joe I.
I need to inscribe my wife into the SS,where can I do it,living in Chile,SA.
Richard M.
SSA error
T.Y.
Hi, Richard. Thank you for reading our blog. We encourage you to visit our Frequently Asked Questions for Transitioning Your Social Security Username to Login.gov. We hope this information is helpful.
Janel
So I called to give my address change and the person I spoke to was so rude I almost had an anxiety attack on the phone. I had other questions but completely forgot them because of how I was being spoke to. I’m on SSDI & SSI but I’m so far below poverty level I can’t live in a place of my own. I don’t understand how I can be treated so poorly, and why can a person receive enough to live on this is so wrong to make people feel worse about themselves
Suzanne T.
I agree. Getting enough money to live with our benefits. I’m sick enough and I don’t need enough to live entirely, I can’t pay rent, utilities and not enough to make it happen. I know they just took enough to pay my insurance. I’m always trying to make it. It’s rough.
S.D.
We are sorry to hear about your experience, Janel. You can submit feedback by visiting our How can we help? webpage. From there, select the “Email Us” link. This will take you to the “Email Our Support Team” form where you can submit a complaint, compliment, or suggestion. Thank you.
Toby T.
2018 I applied for disability. My mental
state had weaken. After years of trying to get my son back that the courts had given to a crackhead. I was denied. 2019 I applied for early retirement @ 62. My mental disability caused me not
to understand the questions of being married.not to my son’s father but I had gotten married and list his name dob in the.section provided on the application. On my record I got est.$300. SSA failed to tell me the name and dob of. my husband I provided had died 2016. Which made me eligible for widow benefits. 2022 I was put on SSI still not put in a program for widows. When I reached
FRA in April 2024 that’s when SSA told me I had been a widow since 2016. Telling me I will not get my benefits they kept from me. Even taking money out of the checks that I have been getting the past three months as a widow. I want my 8 years of money.
Don T.
Don Tennant. 81 yrs old….All current information is correct, and no changes.
Olivier M.
It is very disappointing that the process described on ssa.gov for updating the SSN is not up to date. I just got citizenship, I followed the process described online, I filled and printed the form, I got the documents required, I took a half day-off and drove to the Miami office where I’ve been told that I need an appointment. This is not mentioned anywhere, I lost half a day…
S.D.
We’re sorry to hear about your experience, Olivier. You can submit feedback by visiting our How can we help? webpage. From there, select the “Email Us” link. This will take you to the “Email Our Support Team” form where you can submit a suggestion, complaint, or compliment. We hope this is resolved soon.
Claudette
My income was on the 3rd. Wednesday of the month. ALL my bills are automatically withdrawn then. Since you have made the changen they are bounced
Kevin s.
You’re so worried about me getting overpayment when I only get $628 a month I tried to talk to you people I get a brick wall I’m in more than that when I was working I paid off my child for what I was working you need to double check my employment record we are missing something I think you’re all full b******* you just want to cut my social security
Kevin S.
Is ex-wife getting benefits too I’ve had a heart attack and a stroke I’ve been turned down for disability I broke my neck I was turned down for disability and I applied I think you’re full of s***
S.D.
We’re sorry to hear about your situation, Claudette. Social Security payment dates are based on your date of birth. If you were born the 11th through 20th, your payment date is the Third Wednesday. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are made on the first of the month. You cannot change the date you receive your benefits. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.