From the Social Security District Office
Social Security programs touch the lives of more than 70 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 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 for your convenience.
Q & A
Q.: What are some of the documents Social Security will accept as proof of identity for a child?
A.: While you can use a birth certificate to prove age or citizenship, you cannot use it as proof of identity. Social Security needs evidence of the child’s existence after birth. An acceptable document must show your child’s name, identifying information, and, preferably, a recent photograph. Your child must be present unless the picture ID also shows your child’s biographical information (i.e., age, date of birth, and parents’ names). We generally can accept a non-photo identity document if it has enough information to identify the child (such as the child’s name and age, date of birth, and parents’ names). We prefer to see the child’s U.S. passport. If that document is not available, we may accept the child’s:
• Adoption decree.
• Doctor, clinic, or hospital record.
• Religious record (e.g., baptismal record).
• Daycare center or school record.
• School identification card.
All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. To find out more, visit www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ssnumber. There, you can also find out what documents you need, fill out and print an application, and then bring or mail the needed information to Social Security. You may also want to read the publication, Social Security Numbers For Children, available at www.ssa.gov/pubs.
Q.: I served in the military, and I’ll receive a military pension when I retire. Will that affect my Social Security benefits?
A.: You can get both Social Security retirement benefits and military retirement at the same time. Generally, we don’t reduce your Social Security benefits because of your military benefits. When you’re ready to apply for Social Security retirement benefits, go to www.ssa.gov/applyonline. This is the fastest and easiest way to apply. For your convenience, you can always save your progress during your application and complete it later. We thank you for your military service!
Q.: I’ve decided I want to retire. Now what do I do?
A.: The fastest and easiest way to apply for retirement benefits is to go to www.ssa.gov/retireonline. Use our online application to apply for Social Security retirement or spouses benefits. To do so, you must:
• Be at least 61 years and 9 months old.
• Want to start your benefits in the next four months.
• Live in the United States or one of its commonwealths or territories.