Changes Are Coming to How You Access Social Security’s Online Services
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: January 22, 2025
We’re making changes to the way you access Social Security’s online services, including your personal my Social Security account. The changes will simplify your sign-in experience and align with federal authentication standards. At the same time, we’re continuing to provide safe and secure access to our online services.
If you created your my Social Security account before September 18, 2021, you will still be able to use your username and password to sign in. However, you will not be able to do so for much longer.
In the near future, all users will need to have an account with one of our two Credential Service Providers (CSP) – Login.gov or ID.me – to access your personal my Social Security account and other online services.
To learn more, read our press release. If you have an existing Login.gov or ID.me account, you do NOT need to create a new one. And, if you can access your personal my Social Security account through Login.gov or ID.me, you don’t need to take any action.
If you don’t have a Login.gov account
To avoid any disruptions in accessing Social Security’s online services you may want to transition your account now by signing in with your Social Security username. Our online instructions will guide you through the process of creating a new account with Login.gov. Once you successfully link your personal my Social Security account with your new Login.gov account, you’ll get a confirmation screen and have immediate access to our online services. In the future, you’ll sign in to your account with Login.gov and not your Social Security username.
Login.gov offers 24/7 customer phone and chat support to answer your questions.
We encourage you to make the transition to Login.gov or ID.me now before the username option goes away later this year.
You’ll find more helpful information here.
Please share these important upcoming changes with your family members, friends, and colleagues.
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Tags: General Information, my Social Security, online services
See CommentsAbout the Author
Dawn Bystry, Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Comments
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Stephen M.
I have used ID.me before and it is not user friendly. If SS is worried about security, ID.me is not the way to solve the problem. Go with a multi-factor authentication. Login.gov is just as bad if not worse. SS is not helping the average person with this change.
JimB
My wife and I now use the same email address. I just updated my Social Security acct to the Login.gov protocol. I couldn’t find anything on the website that provides the steps to upgrade my wife’s account. Help!!
Bob D.
Same here. Wife and I use same email address. Transitioned her account with no problem, but when I try to transition my account, I receive message that the email address is already associated with another account number (my wife’s). I’m stuck. What do I do?
B C.
Your instructions are vague and confusing. I was a teacher in high school for 33 years. If I presented such instructions my students would have made paper airplanes out of them! I do not see older people completing them successfully!
Kenneth C.
I am trying to get my wife’s SS benefits switched to a new bank. I was able to do mine on line quickly, but was not able to do my wife’s because she does not have her own email. The Login.gov system will not allow me to create a new account for her since she does not have a email account.
My question is how do I make this happen on my account? When I call the office in Benton Harbor they will not answer the phone to advise me!
Lilly
when I link my SS information with this login.gov, it only linked my mothers information (I am her beneficiary representative) and not my SS information. What a mess. I used to get into SS after verifying my information, it let me pick which one I wanted to see: mine or my mothers. Now I only see hers and nobody knows how to help me, that the SS or the Login side.
Bill
One problem that I can see with an implementation method of this policy. All phones are obsolete in just a couple of years due to manufacturers policies on security updates. Having a credential tied to hardware that needs to be replaced often is going to cause massive problems. People will undermine their personal security by holding on to phones that have ceased to receive security updates due to the hassle of transferring their credential to a new phone. This could backfire.
Kathryn R.
Where is the instructions for adding accounts to login.gov
Mary B.
While applying for Login.gov the authencation provided by Google Play I selected contained ads so I didn’t finshed that part. I need the number for help with this process. To finish setting up Login.
Joy P.
Created my Login.gov account and linked to my username account successfully today but getting an error now when attempting to log in on the SSA.gov site.
“Size of request header field exceeds server limit.”
Shelly
Your website gives all these warnings but when I try to create the Login.gov it gives an error message. People who are on SS need better.
This is a failure.