COLUMN: Take control with Social Security online

Published 5:01 pm Sunday, January 30, 2022

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By Lisa Wallace
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in North Carolina

We continue to add more services you can access through your secure my Social Security account. Use your personal my Social Security account to check your Social Security record and complete your business conveniently and securely from home or on the go.

If you do not currently receive benefits, you can:

• Request a replacement Social Security card.

• Review your earnings history for accuracy.

• See an estimate of your future Social Security benefits to help you plan when to start receiving benefits.

• Compare benefit amounts depending on what age you start receiving benefits.

• Check the status of your Social Security application.

If you already receive benefits, you can:

• Get a benefit verification or proof of income letter.

•  Request a replacement Social Security or Medicare card.

•  Set up or change direct deposit.

•  Change your address.

•  Get a replacement Social Security 1099 form (SSA-1099).

•  Opt-out of certain mailed notices.

Your personal my Social Security account includes a secure Message Center where you can receive communications from us. For example, you can view your annual cost-of-living adjustments before you would normally receive them in the mail. You can also opt-out of receiving notices by mail that are available online.

We designed these online features to save you time. Create your personal my Social Security account today at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

We offer many other online resources at www.ssa.gov/onlineservices. Please let friends and family know they can access them from the comfort of their home or office, and on the go from their mobile phones.