For the American population, Social Security is an important source of income because it provides money to retirees, disabled persons, and survivors of deceased workers. As this income is very prevalent in America, so both current and future beneficiaries will want to stay updated on any changes that could affect their payments. So people can keep track of them directly through their my Social Security account. However, recently, it has been revealed that the Social Security Administration is making a major change that might cause millions of Americans to lose their account access if they don’t take action. So, in this article, we will tell you what can be done to protect access to my Social Security accounts so that people can handle their benefits without any difficulties.
Transition Your Social Security Accounts To Avoid Any Problems In The Benefits
As we all know, Social Security benefits are directly reflected in the my Social Security account of the individuals. This account helps retired people as well as workers to manage some of the important tasks such as:-
- Steps to check the status of your Social Security application
- Updating your resident address in case it gets changed
- Updating the direct deposit information in case you are already getting Social Security benefits
- Printing the hard copy of your benefits verification
- Getting an estimate of how much you or your spouse will receive in retirement benefits
- Checking the income record, which shows how much you have earned over the years. This will help in determining the amount of your Social Security benefits.
Now, the Social Security Administration has revealed that more than 46 million people created their my Social Security accounts before 18th September 2021. To access these accounts, individuals created a username and a password, which they used to manage their Social Security payments.
But, recently, the administration has made an announcement that states that they are transitioning away from these passwords and usernames. Now, people will have to use either Login.gov or ID.me to sign in. The username and password used by people to log in to their my Social Security account will work for some time, but there’s no guarantee on how long it will work. The Administration has already announced that the option of signing in with the old credentials will not be existing soon. They have advised people to use the new login method if they do not want to lose access to their account.
Why Is The Transition Happening
The change announced by the Social Security Administration is happening because the department wants to make the process of signing in easier for its people. This change also ensures that the new federal security standards are met properly. By making this new change, the SSA wants to provide a smooth and safe way to access online services.
Transitioning Of Social Security Account Is Easy, But You Need To Act Fast
As revealed by the Social Security Administration, transitioning the account is not very difficult, but individuals need to act upon this quickly. If a person already has an account on ID.me or Login.gov, they can sign in with their already existing username and password. However, if a person doesn’t have an account on any of these, they need to create one quickly so that the benefits are not missed. If an individual visits any of these sites and login with his/her old my Social Security credentials, the site will help them create new credentials.
Now, if you are creating a new Login.gov or ID.me account, you will be asked to give your contact details and also set up a two-factor authentication. To set up the two-factor authentication, a person will be required to give their contact number or any other way through which the Social Security Administration can verify their identity whenever they log in or sign in to the websites. SSA has also stated that if any person has already created an account on Login.gov for any government service such as Global Entry, then there is no need to create a new account. These persons can use their same account to access information about social security benefits.
Since the announcement was made, the administration has been advising the American population to make the transition quickly, so that no disruptions are caused. They can simply go to their my Social Security account and begin the process. If a person faces any problem while transitioning, they can visit the official website of the Social Security Administration.
No Deadline Is Given Yet By The Social Security Administration
As of now, the Social Security Administration has not given a deadline for the transitioning of the account. Though individuals can still use the username and password to login to their my Social Security account, but this option might go away later this year. When this will happen, people will be required to have an ID.me or Login.gov account if they want to continue to access their Social Security account.
No Effect On Individuals Who Created Their Social Security Account On or After 18th September 2021
Now, the next important thing is that the people who have created their social security account on or after 18th September 2021 do not have to undergo the transition as they are already on the right path. However, if you are someone who created their social security account on or before 18th September 2021 and use the credentials to access the account today, then you will need to create or use the existing account with one of the Credential Service Providers, ID.me, or Login.gov.
Are Social Security Accounts Are Free?
My Social Security account is absolutely free and is available to anyone who is 18 years old or above, and has a social security number and a valid email. With this account, a person can review their social security statements, estimate the benefits, manage the current payments, and access the daily SSA services. Updating your bank details, changing your address, and replacing your social security card, all these are the administration’s routine services.
