Five ways to apply for Social Security benefits online
Social Security continues to make it easier for you to access our programs and benefits. Our website offers a convenient way to apply for benefits online.
You can apply online for:
Retirement or Spouse’s Benefits. You must be at least 61 years and 9 months in age and want your benefits to start in no more than four months. Apply at http://www.ssa.gov/retireonline.
Disability Benefits. You can use our online application, available at http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityonline, to apply for disability benefits if you:
Are age 18 or older;
Are not currently receiving benefits on your own Social Security record;
Are unable to work because of a medical condition that is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death; and
Have not been denied disability benefits in the last 60 days. If your application was recently denied, our online appeal application, is a starting point to request a review of the determination we made. Please visit http://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/appeal.html.
Security Income (SSI). SSI is a federal income program funded by general tax revenues and helps people who have little or no income and who are age 65 or older, blind, or have disabilities. If you meet certain requirements, you may apply online at http://www.ssa.gov/benefits/ssi. If you are not able to apply online, call your local Social Security office to apply.
Medicare. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 or older, some people younger than 65 who have disabilities, and people with end-stage renal disease. If you are not already receiving Social Security benefits, you should apply for Medicare three months before turning age 65 at http://www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare.
Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs. People who need assistance with the cost of medications can apply for Extra Help at http://www.ssa.gov/i1020.
Top fraud and scam prevention tools
Knowledge is power and having the right tools to fight fraud can make a huge difference. Knowledge can also help those you love and want to protect. We put together a list of the five most important resources about Social Security scams you should know about:
Read and share our fact sheet Beware of Social Security Phone Scams to learn how to spot fake calls and emails at http://www.ssa.gov/fraud/assets/materials/EN-05-10535.pdf.
Visit our Office of the Inspector General’s Scam Awareness page at oig.ssa.gov/scam for information on phone scams and how to report them.
Read our blog post at blog.ssa.gov/protecting-your-social-security-number-from-identity-theft to learn how to protect your Social Security number from identity theft.
Create your own personal my Social Security account at http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount to help you keep track of your records and identify any suspicious activity.
Visit our Fraud Prevention and Reporting page at http://www.ssa.gov/fraud to understand how we combat fraud.
Please share these resources about scams with your friends and family and help us spread the word on social media.
