How do I submit Social Security?

Ways to Apply

You can complete an application for Retirement, Spouse's, Medicare or Disability Benefits online.

If you cannot submit your application online:

• You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778); or
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visits to our offices are by appointment only for certain services. Please visit our Coronavirus page to see if you may be eligible for an in-person appointment.

If you live outside the U.S. you can contact the Federal Benefits Unit that provides service to your country of residence.

Retirement or Spouse's Benefits

You can apply online for Retirement or spouse's benefits or continue an application you already started.

You must be at least 61 years and 9 months old and want your benefits to start no more than four months in the future.

If you qualify for both retirement and spouse's benefits, please read:

If you are eligible for a spouse's benefit and your own retirement benefit

If you are almost 65, your application for benefits will include Medicare.

Information You May Need to Apply:

• Retirement Benefits
• Spouse's or Divorced Spouse's Benefits

Disability Benefits

You can apply online for disability benefits or continue an application you already started.

Information You May Need to Apply:

• Disability Benefits

Appeal a Disability Decision

If your application for disability benefits was denied recently for medical reasons, you can request an appeal online or continue working on an appeal you already started.

Medicare Benefits

You can apply online for Medicare or continue an application you already started.

If you are almost 65 but you don't want your retirement benefits to start, you can just apply online for Medicare using the "Retirement/Medicare Benefits" application.

Information You May Need to Apply:

• Medicare

Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Costs

You can apply online for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits

If you want to apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), please read:

How Do I Apply For SSI?

Survivors Benefits

You cannot report a death or apply for survivors' benefits online.

If you need to report a death or apply for survivors' benefits, call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). You can speak to a Social Security representative between 7 AM and 7 PM Monday through Friday. You can also contact your local Social Security office.

In most cases, the funeral home will report the person's death to Social Security. If you want them to do that, you will need to give the deceased's Social Security Number to the funeral director so they can make the report.

If you are getting benefits on your spouse's or parent's record:

• We'll automatically change any monthly benefits to survivor benefits after the death is reported to us.
• We may be able to pay the Special Lump Sum Death Benefit automatically.

If you are getting retirement or disability benefits on your own record, you will need to apply for the survivor benefits. We will check to see whether you can get a higher benefit as a widow or widower.

If you are not getting benefits, you should apply for survivor benefits promptly because, in some cases, benefits may not be retroactive.

Information You May Need to Apply:

• Widows/Widowers or Surviving Divorced Spouse's Benefits
• Child's Benefits
• Mother's or Father's Benefits
• Lump-Sum Death Payment
• Parent's Benefits
  (You must have been dependent on your child at the time of his or her death.)

Children's Benefits

You cannot apply online for benefits for a child. Please read:

Information You Need to Apply for Child's Benefits

Check the Status of Your Application

After you apply, you can check the status of your application online. You will need your Social Security number and confirmation that you received when you applied to use this service.

You can apply:

• Online; or
• By calling our national toll-free service at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visiting your local Social Security office. Call ahead to make an appointment.
• If you do not live in the U.S. or one of its territories, you can also contact your nearest U.S. Social Security office, U.S. Embassy or consulate.

You can help by being ready to provide the information and documents listed below.

Information About You

• Your date and place of birth and Social Security number;
• The name, Social Security number and date of birth or age of your current spouse and any former spouse. You should also know the dates and places of marriage and dates of divorce or death (if appropriate);
• The names of any unmarried children under age 18, age 18-19 and in elementary or secondary school, or disabled before age 22;
• Your bank or other financial institution's Routing Transit Number and the account number [more info];.
• Your citizenship status;
• Whether you or anyone else has ever filed for Social Security benefits, Medicare or Supplemental Security Income on your behalf (if so, we will also ask for information on whose Social Security record you applied);
• Whether you have used any other Social Security number;
• If you are applying for retirement benefits, the month you want your benefits to begin; and
• If you are within 3 months of age 65, whether you want to enroll in Medical Insurance (Part B of Medicare).

Information About Your Work

• The name and address of your employer(s) for this year and last year;
• The amount of money earned last year and this year. If you are filing for benefits in the months of September through December, you will also need to estimate next year's earnings;
• A copy of your Social Security Statement or a record of your earnings. If you do not have a Statement, you can view your Social Security Statement online by creating an account and signing in with us. Even if you do not have a record of your earnings or you are not sure if they are correct, please fill out the application. We will help you review your earnings when you apply;
• The beginning and ending dates of any active U.S. military service you had before 1968;
• Whether you became unable to work because of illnesses, injuries or conditions at any time within the past 14 months. If "Yes," we will also ask the date you became unable to work;
• Whether you or your spouse have ever worked for the railroad industry;
• Whether you have earned Social Security credits under another country's social security system; and
• Whether you qualified for or expect to receive a pension or annuity based on your own employment with the Federal government of the United States or one of its States or local subdivisions.

Note

If you are outside the U.S., we may need to know if you worked or will be working over 45 hours a month outside the United States.

Documents You May Need To Provide

We may need to see certain documents in order to pay benefits. If you apply online, a list of documents we need to see will appear at the end of the application, along with instructions on where to submit them. The documents we may ask for are:

• your original birth certificate or other proof of birth [more info] (You may also submit a copy of your birth certificate certified by the issuing agency);
• proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you were not born in the United States [more info];
• a copy of your U.S. military service paper(s) (e.g., DD-214 - Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) if you had military service before 1968; [more info]; and
• a copy of your W-2 form(s) [more info] and/or self-employment tax return [more info] for last year.

Important

We accept photocopies of W-2 forms, self-employment tax returns or medical documents, but we must see the original of most other documents, such as your birth certificate. (We will return them to you.)

Note

If our records show that documents proving age or citizenship/lawful alien status have already been submitted for an earlier Medicare or Social Security claim (such as Disability, Supplemental Security Income, etc.), you do not need to submit the documents again.

What If I Don't Have All Of The Documents?

Even if you don't have all the documents we need, you should still submit the application and any documents you do have. You can provide the missing documents later or we may be able to help you get them.

In many cases, your local Social Security office can contact your state Bureau of Vital Statistics and verify your information online at no cost to you. If we can't verify your information online, we can still help you get the information you need.

If you delay submitting the application, you could lose some benefits you may be due.

Mailing Your Documents

If you mail any documents to us, you must include the Social Security number so that we can match them with the correct application. Do not write anything on the original documents. Please write the Social Security number on a separate sheet of paper and include it in the mailing envelope along with the documents. If you do not want to mail these documents, you may bring them to a Social Security office.

Do not mail foreign birth records or any documents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), especially those you (the applicant) are required to keep with you at all times. These documents are extremely difficult, time-consuming and expensive to replace if lost. Some cannot be replaced. Instead, bring them to a Social Security office where they will be examined and returned.