Expert, step-by-step guides written to save you time and help you prepare the correct documents before visiting a field office or applying online.
How to reach a live Social Security representative: what the 1-800-772-1213 menu offers, the callback option, when hold times are shortest, why calling your local office is often faster, what the automated line can do without an agent, and what to have ready.
Read complete guideHow to replace a lost, stolen or damaged Social Security card for free: the online route through my Social Security, the in-person route at a field office or Card Center, the exact documents SSA accepts, replacement limits, and how long the new card takes.
Read complete guideHow to apply for Social Security retirement benefits online, by phone or at an office: full retirement age by birth year, what claiming at 62 versus 70 does to the monthly amount, the four-month application window, documents, and what happens after you file.
Read complete guideThe difference between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI): who qualifies, work credits versus income limits, SSA's five-step disability test, how to apply online, by phone or at an office, the waiting periods, Medicare and Medicaid, and the appeals ladder.
Read complete guideHow to change your name with the Social Security Administration after marriage, divorce, or a court-ordered name change: why SSA must be first, the documents SSA accepts, the online start plus office visit, and how long the new card takes.
Read complete guideThe documents the Social Security office needs for each common visit: replacement card, name change, retirement, disability, SSI, Medicare, a benefit letter or a direct-deposit change. Originals only, what counts as proof of identity, and what to leave at home.
Read complete guideIn New York City, Social Security cards, name changes and record corrections are handled only at four Social Security Card Centers, not at the regular field offices. Addresses, hours and phone numbers of the Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx Card Centers, what each office type does, and how Staten Island is different.
Read complete guideSupplemental Security Income (SSI) explained: who qualifies (65+, blind or disabled with limited income and resources), the $2,000 and $3,000 resource limits, how income reduces the payment, how to apply online, by phone or at a Social Security office, the interview, documents, Medicaid, and reporting rules after approval.
Read complete guideHow to get a Social Security benefit verification letter (also called a proof of income, award, budget or benefits letter): instantly in a my Social Security account, by automated phone line, or at a field office. What the letter shows, who accepts it, and how to get one for someone else.
Read complete guideSocial Security, not Medicare, handles Medicare enrollment. When to sign up (the 7-month Initial Enrollment Period, General and Special Enrollment Periods), who is enrolled automatically, how to apply online, by phone or at a Social Security office, the Part B late penalty, and what to bring.
Read complete guideLocate addresses, direct phone lines, and operating hours for all 1238 Social Security offices.