Upcoming Changes to Social Security Online Accounts
If you recently received an email from the Social Security Administration, it’s important not to ignore it. The agency has announced that millions of individuals who created online My Social Security accounts before September 18, 2021, will need to switch to Login.gov accounts in order to continue accessing their information.
The Transition to Login.gov
According to the SSA, all users will soon be required to have a Login.gov or ID.me account to access their Social Security accounts and other online services. More than 5 million account holders have already made the switch as part of an effort to streamline secure login and access to online services. As of June, about 46 million out of the 86 million people with my Social Security accounts needed to move to Login.gov accounts to continue accessing online services.
Benefits of the New Approach
The Social Security Administration hopes that the transition to Login.gov will help address long wait times for callers to its 800 number. These wait times averaged about 24 minutes in April, down from 42 minutes in November. My Social Security accounts are free and provide personalized tools, allowing users to apply for and manage benefits, estimate future benefits, and request replacement Social Security cards.
Encouragement to Account Holders
Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley praised the upgrade as “a safe and secure way for people to do business with his agency.” The agency encourages My Social Security account holders to log in, at which time they will have the option to switch to Login.gov. Once accounts are linked, a confirmation screen will appear, allowing users to access their personal Social Security services and other tools. Existing Login.gov or ID.me account holders do not need to create a new account or take any other action.
