The benefits of Social Security online

Social Security programs touch the lives of more than 71 million people. We work hard to ensure critical benefits and other services are accessible to you. Consider the start of the new year as an opportunity for you to engage with Social Security online. This begins with creating your free and secure personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. Once you create an account, you can:

• Apply for retirement, spouses or disability benefits

• Apply for Medicare

• Check your application status.

• Request a replacement Social Security number card.

If you do not receive Social Security benefits, you can use your personal "my Social Security" account to:

• Get personalized retirement benefit estimates

• Get your Social Security statement.

• Get estimates for spouse’s benefits

• Get instant proof that you do not receive benefits.

If you receive benefits, you can use your personal "my Social Security" account to:

• Change your address (Social Security benefits only)

• Set up or change your direct deposit information (Social Security benefits only)

• Instantly get proof of benefits

• Print your SSA-1099.

Your personal "my Social Security" account has a secure message center. You can choose to receive the annual cost-of-living adjustments and the Medicare income-related monthly adjustment amount online. Unless you opt-out of receiving notices by mail that are available online, you will receive both mailed and online notices.

Your personal "my Social Security" account offers easy access to features that save you time when you do business with us online. Check out our other resources available at www.ssa.gov/onlineservices.

John Johnson is a Social Security public affairs specialist in New York City. 

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