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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Sandra
Will I receive ss benefits from my ex husband, we were married over 10 years?
S.S.
Hi, Sandra. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. To be eligible for divorced spouse benefits, you had to be married to your former husband at least 10 years, be currently unmarried, and not eligible for a higher benefit on your own record. To discuss your eligibility with a representative, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., or contact your local Social Security office. For more information, check out our Frequently Asked Questions and our What Every Woman Should Know publication. We hope this helps.
Premlata V.
OMG, the login.gov is so complicated that seniors are not able to login, including me. I don’t understand how to scan QR code when I am using my iPhone, then it asked for passkey etc. fyi seniors can hardly remember their phone number and SS number and don’t know any IA language you are using
S.S.
Hello Premlata. Thank you for reading our blog. If you need help with transitioning your account, please call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-078). Our National 800 number is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please say “Help Desk” at the voice prompt. We also encourage you to visit our Frequently Asked Questions for Transitioning Your Social Security Username to Login.gov. We hope this helps.
Isaac M.
We are trying to call SSA since this morning at 1 -800- 772-1213 we do not get any response. The only response is that we have to wait 120
minutes whenever we call
anytime whether in the morning or afternoon.
Without knowing what we are calling for,there gives an online description of materials related to Social Security. Machines do not have any sense or sensibility of the customer’s problems. We need to talk to a human being,not to a machine.
So I request to SSA to be kind and merciful to your customers.
Premlata V.
Hi, I am helping my Handiman to clean his SS benefit. He is 64, foesbt have computer, he lives in Oakland. Since I live in Dan Leandto, I want to go with him to local SS office in San Leandro.
Is it ok, if I use my computer as a guest, so help him complete the information to claim his SS benefit.
Thanks for your response at your earliest, so I can help him as he doesn’t have good health.