How to Create a my Social Security Account Online (2026)

You want to get into your Social Security information online: check your benefit estimate, confirm your earnings record, update direct deposit, or grab a benefit verification letter. To do any of that, you need a personal my Social Security account.

Here is the part that trips most people up in 2026. The old Social Security username and password sign-in was retired on June 7, 2025. You can no longer sign in with those legacy credentials. Every new account now runs through one of two identity providers: Login.gov (run by the U.S. government) or ID.me (a private provider). You only need one, both are free, and both meet the same federal identity standards.

This guide walks the whole process start to finish, quickest path first, with the steps for each provider. Set aside roughly 10 to 15 minutes, and have a photo ID and your phone within reach before you begin.

Confirm You Have Everything First

Gathering these before you start saves you from restarting halfway through. You will need all of the following:

You must be 18 years of age or older to create your own personal account.
A valid Social Security number (SSN). Your information is verified against records using this number.
A personal email address you can open right away (you confirm your account through a link sent to it).
A government-issued photo ID. Login.gov accepts a U.S. driver's license, state ID, or U.S. passport book. ID.me self-service accepts a valid, unexpired driver's license, state ID, passport, or passport card.
A U.S. phone number OR a U.S. mailing address. A phone number is verified by one-time code; if no phone matches, your address can be verified by mail instead.
A smartphone or a device with a working camera. Remote verification requires a photo of your ID and, in some cases, a selfie or short video, so a camera is effectively required.

Go Directly to ssa.gov/myaccount

Type ssa.gov/myaccount into your browser's address bar yourself. Do not click sign-in links from emails, texts, or social media posts; typing the address directly is the single best defense against phishing pages built to steal your login.

1.Open your browser and enter ssa.gov/myaccount in the address bar.
2.Select the option to create an account.
3.On the next page, choose ONE credential provider: create an account with Login.gov, or create an account with ID.me. There is no wrong choice. Login.gov works across many federal agencies (IRS, VA, and others); ID.me is a single private sign-on provider.
4.You are redirected to that provider's website to build the credential and verify your identity (covered below).
5.Once your identity is verified, you are returned to SSA and signed in to your account.

Already have a Login.gov or ID.me account from another agency? Just pick that provider and sign in. You do not create a new one and you do not re-verify your identity; you only complete multi-factor login.

This is the government-run path, and the credential you create here works at other federal agencies later. First you build the account:

1.On the Login.gov page, enter your email address and submit.
2.Open your inbox and click the confirm-your-email-address button in the message from Login.gov.
3.Create a password with 12 or more characters. Avoid common phrases, personal info, or reused passwords.
4.Set up a second layer of security. More secure options include a security key, face or touch unlock, an authentication application, or a PIV/CAC card. Less secure options include text message, phone call, or backup codes.

Then you verify your identity, which is what unlocks your protected Social Security data:

1.Submit ID photos: photograph your U.S. driver's license, state ID, or passport book. In some cases you are also asked to take a selfie to confirm you own the ID.
2.Provide your Social Security number so Login.gov can match your information against records.
3.Verify your phone number with the one-time code sent to it. If your number cannot be matched, Login.gov may verify your address by mail instead.
4.Re-enter your password to store your verified information and connect it to SSA.

If you get stuck, go to Login.gov/help or call 844-875-6446. Login.gov also offers in-person verification at participating United States Post Office locations.

Create and Verify with ID.me

This is the private-provider path. Choose it if you prefer it or already hold an ID.me account. First, build the wallet:

1.Select the ID.me button, then choose to create a wallet.
2.Enter your personal email address and double-check it for typos.
3.Enter a strong password and create the wallet.
4.Confirm your email address from the message sent to your inbox.
5.Set up multi-factor authentication (MFA), which is required before full access.

If the email is already in use, sign in instead of creating a duplicate wallet. Next, verify your identity:

1.Sign in with your email and password, then complete MFA.
2.Choose a verification method. Self-Service has you upload your documents and a video selfie and usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. Video Call has you upload documents, enter your information, and then join an ID.me video chat agent on a live call.
3.For self-service or a short video call, a single document works: a valid, unexpired driver's license, state ID, passport, or passport card. A driver's license or state ID needs photos of BOTH sides; a passport must clearly show name, photo, and expiration date.
4.Once verified, you are connected back to SSA and signed in.

Handle Identity-Document Edge Cases

Some situations trigger a request for extra documents. With ID.me, this happens if your license expired within the last 12 months, you live outside the U.S., you use an ITIN instead of an SSN, or you hold only a non-U.S. passport. In those cases you provide either two primary documents OR one primary plus one secondary document. An expired or temporary license may still be verifiable through a video call.

One more thing to watch throughout: a misspelled email breaks the flow entirely. If your email is wrong, you have to restart with the correct address.

What to Do If Online Verification Fails

A failed online match does not lock you out. You have several fallbacks, fastest first:

Login.gov: complete in-person identity verification at a participating United States Post Office.
ID.me: switch to the video chat agent (video call) path instead of self-service.
SSA phone line: call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. Say "Help Desk" to route to priority service for account and login issues.
Local Social Security office: visit in person if you cannot create the account online. An appointment is required.

The legacy Social Security username sign-in was removed on June 7, 2025, so those old credentials no longer work. Go to ssa.gov/myaccount and set up Login.gov or ID.me instead; that becomes your new way in. If you already have one of those accounts from another agency, reuse it rather than making a new one.

Your benefits are not affected by this change. Direct deposits and paper checks continue regardless of whether you have set up an online account. The only thing the change limits is managing things online until your new credential is in place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to choose both Login.gov and ID.me?

No. You only need one. SSA states there is no wrong choice. Login.gov is government-run and reusable across agencies like the IRS and VA; ID.me is a private provider. Both are free and meet the same federal identity-proofing standards.

How long does the whole process take?

Plan for roughly 10 to 15 minutes overall. ID.me's self-service verification usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes. These are estimates, not guarantees, and missing documents or a phone-number mismatch can add time.

Can I create the account without a smartphone?

Remote (online) verification requires photographing your ID and, in some cases, taking a selfie or video, so a device with a working camera is effectively required for the online path. If you cannot do that, use Login.gov's in-person verification at a participating United States Post Office, ID.me's video chat agent, or visit a local Social Security office by appointment.

Will my payments stop while I set this up?

No. Benefits are never interrupted by the account change. Payments continue via direct deposit or paper check whether or not you have an online account.

Why was my phone number not accepted during Login.gov verification?

Login.gov verifies your phone by sending a one-time code, and the number has to match records. If it cannot be matched, Login.gov may verify your address by mail instead, which adds some delay.

Can I create an account if I live outside the U.S. but have an SSN?

Yes. Per ID.me, non-U.S. residents who have an SSN can still verify their identity, though living outside the U.S. may trigger the additional-document requirements (two primary documents, or one primary plus one secondary).