Social Security is a federal government program that provides a source of income for you or your legal dependents (spouse, children, or parents) if you qualify for benefits. You also need a Social Security number to get a job.
While you work, you pay Social Security taxes. This tax money goes into a trust fund that pays benefits to those who are currently retired, to people with disabilities, and to the surviving spouses and children of workers who have died. Each year you work, you’ll get credits to help you become eligible for benefits when it’s time for you to retire. Find all the benefits Social Security Administration (SSA) offers.
There are four main types of benefits that the SSA offers:
If you receive or will receive Social Security benefits, you may want to open a "my Social Security" account. This online account is a service from the SSA that allows you to keep track of and manage your SSA benefits, and allows you to make changes to your Social Security record.
Your Social Security card is an important piece of identification that you'll need to get a job and collect Social Security and other government benefits.
When you apply for a Social Security number (SSN), the Social Security Administration (SSA) will assign you a nine-digit number, which is the same number printed on the Social Security card that the SSA will issue you. If you change your name, you will need to get a corrected card.
How to Get a Social Security Card
Gather your documents -- Learn what documents you'll need to get an original, replacement,or corrected Social Security card, whether it's for a child or adult, U.S. citizen or noncitizen.
When to get a Social Security Number for Your Child
The easiest way to get a Social Security number for your child is at the hospital after they’re born and when you give information for your child’s birth certificate.
If you want to claim your child as a dependent on your income tax return, open a bank account in their name, get medical coverage for them, or apply for government services for them, they will need their own Social Security number.
Apply for a Replacement Social Security Card Online
A new feature on the SSA website allows you to apply for a replacement Social Security card online via your my Social Security account.
To apply for a replacement card online, you must:
Be a U.S. citizen age 18 or older with a U.S. mailing address (this includes APO, FPO and DPO addresses)
Not be requesting a name change or any other change to your card
Have a valid driver's license or a state-issued identification card from one of the following:
Keep your Social Security card in a safe place to protect yourself from identity theft if it's lost or stolen. You are limited to three replacement cards in a year and 10 during your lifetime.
U.S. citizens can travel to or live in most, but not all, foreign countries and still receive their Social Security benefits. To find out if you can receive benefits in the country you’ll be living in or visiting, use the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) payment verification tool and pick the country from the drop-down menu options.
If I Work Overseas, Does it Count Toward My Social Security Record?
If you do not have enough credits from your work in the United States to qualify for retirement benefits, you may be able to count your work credits from another country. The SSA has agreements with 24 countries. If you earned credits in one of those countries, they can help you qualify for U.S. benefits.
Learn how to use Pay.gov to make secure, electronic payments to government agencies from your checking or savings account. Common payments include VA medical care copayments, U.S. District Court tickets, USCG Merchant Mariner user fee payments, and more.
The SSA can’t pay benefits for the month of a recipient’s death. That means if the person died in July, the check received in August (which is payment for July) must be returned.
If the payment is by direct deposit, notify the financial institution as soon as possible so it can return any payments received after death.
Family members may be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits when a person getting benefits dies. Visit the SSA's Survivors Benefits page to learn more.
