 “SSA.gov is visited by over 180 million people per
year and it is one of our most important tools for providing
efficient and equitable access to service,” said Kilolo Kijakazi,
Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. “Whether
providing service in person or online, our goal is to help people
understand what they may qualify for and seamlessly transition them
to an application process.” Improved self-service capability allows
people to skip calling or visiting an office, which helps Social
Security staff focus on those visitors who need in-person
assistance.
Part of ongoing efforts to improve how the public can do business
with the agency, the redesign is intended to provide a clear path to
the tasks customers need to accomplish. Many of the most visited
sections of SSA.gov are now live with a more user-friendly and
task-based approach. New pages and improvements based on public
feedback will continue to be unveiled in the coming months.
Visitors to SSA.gov can use interactive tools to:
Check eligibility for benefits
The new benefit eligibility screener is a convenient and simple way
for people to learn if they might be eligible for benefits.
Save time on Social Security Number (SSN) and card online
services
If a person loses their SSN card, they may not need a replacement.
In most cases, simply knowing their SSN is enough. If a person does
need a replacement card, they may be able to request it online by
visiting www.ssa.gov/ssnumber.
Individuals can also start an application for an updated card or
request an SSN for the first time. People may never need to visit an
office and, if they do need to visit an office to complete the
application, they will save a lot of time by starting online.
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 Start an application for
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
People can start the application process online and request an
appointment to apply for SSI benefits by answering a few questions
at
www.ssa.gov/benefits/ssi/.
Apply for Social Security benefits
and other online services
For most benefits, people can apply online or start an application
online. In many cases, there are no forms to sign. The agency will
review the application and reach out with questions or for more
information. Visit
www.ssa.gov
/onlineservices to
apply for retirement, disability, or Medicare.
Many Social Security services do not require the public to take time
to visit an office. Using a my Social Security
account, a personalized online service, people can start or change
direct deposit, or request a replacement SSA-1099. For individuals
already receiving Social Security benefits, they can print or
download a current Benefit Verification Letter if they need proof of
their benefits.
People not yet receiving benefits can use their online account to
get a personalized Social Security Statement, which provides their
earnings information as well as estimates of their future benefits.
The portal also includes a retirement calculator and links to
information about other online services. The agency encourages
people without a my Social Security account to create
one today at
www.ssa.gov/myaccount/.
[Jack Myers
Public Affairs Specialist
Social Security Administration] |
