Last updated: October 2026
Social Security is more than a retirement check. It also supports people with disabilities, families who have lost a loved one, and people with very low incomes. Because the rules can feel complicated, many people miss benefits they've earned. This guide explains the basics in plain language and shows where to get help.
How to reach Social Security
- Online: Many things can be done at SSA.gov, often faster than by phone.
- Phone: 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Calls are usually quickest early in the morning and later in the week.
- In person: Find your local office on SSA.gov. Making an appointment ahead of time can save a long wait.
The main types of benefits
- Retirement: For people who worked and paid Social Security taxes, usually for at least 10 years. You can start as early as 62, but your monthly amount is permanently lower if you start before your full retirement age (67 for anyone born in 1960 or later). Waiting until 70 gives the largest monthly amount.
- Disability (SSDI): For people who worked and paid Social Security taxes, and now have a condition expected to keep them from working for at least a year.
- Survivors: Monthly benefits for widows, widowers, children, and sometimes parents of a worker who has died.
- Spouses and divorced spouses: You may be able to receive benefits based on a current or former spouse's work record, including some divorced spouses whose marriage lasted at least 10 years.
- SSI (Supplemental Security Income): Monthly payments for people with disabilities, and adults 65 and older, who have very low income and savings, whether or not they have worked.
For more on SSDI, SSI, and appealing a denial, see our Disability Help guide.
Your "my Social Security" account
A free my Social Security account lets you check your earnings record, see estimates of your future benefits, get a benefit letter as proof of income, change your direct deposit, and in many cases request a replacement card. It's worth opening one even if you're years from retirement, so you can catch mistakes in your earnings record early.
Common tasks
- Apply for benefits: Apply online at SSA.gov, by phone, or at a local office. For retirement, you can apply up to four months before you want benefits to start.
- Replace your card: Many people can request a replacement online through their account. Often you don't need the card itself, just your number.
- Get a number for a new baby: The easiest way is at the hospital when you fill out the birth certificate information.
- Get proof of your benefits: Download a benefit verification letter from your online account. You may need it when applying for housing, energy help, or a loan.
- Get paid electronically: The federal government now sends nearly all benefit payments electronically instead of by paper check. If you don't have a bank account, ask about the Direct Express prepaid debit card.
- Report a death: Usually the funeral home reports it. Family members may qualify for survivors benefits, so call Social Security to ask. A payment received for the month of death generally has to be returned.
Protect yourself from Social Security scams
- Social Security will never threaten to suspend your number, demand immediate payment, or ask you to pay with gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or cash by mail.
- If someone calls claiming to be from Social Security and something feels wrong, hang up and call the official number yourself.
- Keep your card at home in a safe place, not in your wallet, and never share your number unless you're sure who is asking and why.
- Report Social Security scams to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov.
Free help with Social Security questions
- Medicare questions: Free, unbiased counseling through your state's SHIP program at ShipHelp.org.
- Denied or overpaid? You have the right to appeal, and you can ask Social Security to waive an overpayment that wasn't your fault. Free legal aid can help; see our Free Legal Help guide.
- Other benefits you may qualify for: See Government Benefits and Help for Seniors.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start my retirement benefits?
It depends on your health, other income, and whether you're married. Starting early means smaller checks for life, while waiting means larger ones. A free SHIP counselor, or the estimates in your my Social Security account, can help you compare.
Can I work and collect Social Security?
Yes. If you're younger than full retirement age and earn above a yearly limit, some benefits are temporarily held back, then added back later. Once you reach full retirement age, there's no limit. Disability benefits have different work rules, so check before taking a job.
Do I need to pay someone to help me apply?
No. Applying is free, and Social Security staff will help you. Be cautious of anyone who charges a fee just to fill out forms.
A helpful book
Get What's Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security is a popular, plain-English guide to timing and claiming benefits. The link shows the newest edition, and your local library may have it too.
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Chances.org shares this information to help you find a starting point. This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and amounts change, so please confirm details with Social Security. See our disclaimer.