How to Check Your Social Security Benefits and Earnings Online (2026)

You want to see your Social Security benefit estimates, confirm the earnings the government has on file for you, or print proof that you receive benefits. All of this lives in one free place: your personal "my Social Security" account at ssa.gov.

The account works from a desktop browser or any smartphone, and it shows the same information either way. The only real hurdle is the sign-in, which changed in 2025 and now runs through a separate identity provider.

Below is every verified way to get in and pull what you need, ordered quickest and most common first. Start with what you have ready, and skip the sections that do not apply to you.

Confirm You Meet the Prerequisites

Before you can view anything online, three things must be true. Knowing them up front saves a failed sign-up attempt.

You must be 18 or older to create your own account and view your Statement online.
You need a Login.gov or ID.me credential. As of June 7, 2025, the old "Social Security username and password" no longer exists; you must use one of these two providers. You only need an account with one of them, and if you already have either from another federal service, you can reuse it.
Have ready a valid email you will always be able to access, your Social Security number, and an identity document. For ID.me that means a driver's license, state ID, passport, or passport card.

A phone is not required. You can secure the account with a security key, a landline, or backup codes instead. If you have a foreign mailing address, ID.me is the supported path.

This is the gateway for everything else. Go to www.ssa.gov/myaccount (or www.ssa.gov/onlineservices) and start the sign-in or account-creation flow.

1.Choose your credential service provider: Login.gov or ID.me. SSA notes there is no wrong choice; it is only a matter of which fits you better.
2.You are redirected to that provider's website. Enter a valid email address and the additional information requested.
3.Complete account creation on the provider's site, then finish identity verification.
4.Once verified, you are returned to SSA and your personal account is created.

If you get stuck, call 1-800-772-1213 and say "Help Desk" for priority service, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday. SSA also publishes step-by-step video guides for setting up both Login.gov and ID.me with SSA.

1.Choose an email you will always be able to access; a personal address is preferred over a work one unless you are required to use work.
2.Create a password. The minimum length is 12 characters.
3.Add at least one authentication method. Login.gov offers six: face or touch unlock, an authentication application, a security key, text/SMS or phone call, backup codes, or a government employee ID (PIV/CAC).
4.If you have no usable phone, pick another method. Backup codes generate a set of 10 one-time codes you can save.
5.Return to SSA to finish linking the credential to your account.

Verify Your Identity With ID.me (If You Picked ID.me)

ID.me leans on document verification. Most people clear it quickly through the self-service path.

1.Create or sign in to your ID.me account with an email and password, then set up MFA.
2.Verify your identity. With Self-Service, most people verify online using just one document: a driver's license, state ID, passport, or passport card.
3.If Self-Service fails, ID.me routes you to a Video Call requiring two primary documents, or one primary plus one secondary. A primary document is a government-issued photo ID showing your name, photo, and date of birth; a secondary document can be your Social Security card, a utility bill, or a vehicle registration.
4.You may also be asked for proof of your Social Security number, current address, or a recent name change.

Do not submit photocopies of primary documents, expired or invalid documents, or digital/mobile driver's licenses; ID.me does not accept these.

View Your Earnings Record

Your benefits are calculated from your lifetime earnings, so this is worth a yearly check. SSA recommends reviewing the full record for accuracy.

1.Sign in at www.ssa.gov/myaccount with your Login.gov or ID.me credential.
2.Open your Social Security Statement, where you can verify your reported earnings.
3.Review the year-by-year totals for accuracy, since benefits are based on this record.

The online earnings record shows your yearly earnings totals free of charge but does not list any employer names. For employer-level detail or a certified record, file Form SSA-7050 (Request for Social Security Earnings Information). The Statement also explains how to report an error if you spot one.

Get Your Statement and Benefit Estimates

If you are not yet receiving benefits, the Statement is your main view. It combines estimates with your earnings history.

1.Sign in at www.ssa.gov/myaccount and open your Social Security Statement.
2.Read the estimates for retirement, disability, and survivors benefits you and your family may be eligible for.
3.Review the bar graph of personalized retirement estimates at nine different ages, depending on when you want benefits to start (commonly highlighted at age 62, Full Retirement Age, and age 70).
4.View, save, or print the Statement from any of your devices.

Cannot create an account? You can still estimate benefits with SSA's Online Benefits Calculator at www.ssa.gov/prepare/get-benefits-estimate by manually entering the annual earnings figures shown on a Statement.

Print a Benefit Verification Letter (Current Beneficiaries)

If you already receive benefits, this letter is your instant proof for loans, housing assistance, or income verification.

1.Sign in at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
2.Request the benefit verification letter, then instantly view, save, or print it.

The letter proves that you receive benefits, have applied, or do not receive benefits. While signed in, you can also check your benefit and payment information and view your COLA notice earlier than the mailed copy arrives.

Do Everything From Your Phone Instead

You do not need a computer. The account is reachable from anywhere and from any device.

1.Open www.ssa.gov/myaccount in your phone's mobile browser.
2.Sign in with your Login.gov or ID.me credential.
3.From there, check application or appeal status, request a replacement Social Security card (in most areas), print a benefit verification letter, view your Statement, and verify earnings.

SSA has also added secure digital access to your Social Security Number through the mobile account, useful if you forgot your number or misplaced your card.

Correct an Error in Your Earnings Record

Because benefits track your earnings, a missing or wrong year is worth fixing as soon as you see it.

1.Review your earnings record in the account first to confirm the discrepancy.
2.Gather proof of the correct figures: a W-2, tax return, wage stub, or other wage records. If you have no documents, write down the employer's name, where you worked, the dates, the amount earned, and the name and SSN you used at that job.
3.Request a correction online through your account, or contact SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

SSA will work with you to correct the record. The process can take time and may involve contacting your former employer. A formal request can be filed on Form SSA-7008 (Request for Correction of Earnings Record).

Lost or changed your number? You are not locked out, because phone-free MFA exists.

Use an MFA method that needs no mobile phone: a security key, a landline (which receives the code by phone call), or Login.gov backup codes (a set of 10 one-time codes).
If you no longer have access to your old cell number, you may request a reset code online. For accounts created after September 18, 2021, update your contact information at Login.gov or ID.me directly, not on SSA's site.
For more help, call 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Frequently Asked Questions

My old Social Security username stopped working. What happened?
The Social Security username and password sign-in was retired on June 7, 2025. You now sign in only through Login.gov or ID.me. If your old username no longer works, simply create or reuse a Login.gov or ID.me account to get back in.

Do I really need a smartphone or even a phone to set this up?
No. A phone is not required to create a Login.gov or ID.me account. You can add multi-factor authentication using a security key, a landline, or backup codes instead.

Why does my online earnings record not show where I worked?
The online record displays your yearly earnings totals only and does not show employer names. To get employer-level detail or a certified earnings statement, file Form SSA-7050 (Request for Social Security Earnings Information), which may carry a fee for certified or detailed records.

I have a foreign mailing address. Can I still create an account?
Yes. Use ID.me, which supports many SSA online services for users with a foreign mailing address.

I am over 60 and never made an account. Will I still get my Statement?
Yes. Workers age 60 and older who do not have an online account are mailed a Statement about three months before their birthday. Anyone 18 or older can also view it online anytime instead.

My ID.me self-service verification failed. What now?
ID.me routes you to a Video Call. You will need two primary documents, or one primary plus one secondary document, and you may be asked to confirm your SSN, current address, or a recent name change.