Source: Social Security Matters

In today’s digital world, many people prefer to conduct business online. Due to customer demand, we’re making more notices and other communications available through your personal my Social Security account.

Besides being more convenient, the online, paperless option has other advantages. It is environmentally friendly, faster than U.S. mail, and eliminates lost, delayed, or misplaced notices. Also, it saves money on postage and improves efficiency. Less paper-related work frees up our employees to better serve our customers online, over the phone, and in person.

Later this fall, new my Social Security users and users who have not selected a communications preference will be asked to choose whether they want to receive notices online or in the mail.

You can change your preference at any time using the Preferences link in the Message Center of your personal my Social Security account. At the same time, you can request that we send an email or text alert – or both – to make sure you get important information timely.

If you receive Social Security benefits and have a personal my Social Security account – or you create an account by November 20, 2024 – you will receive your 2025 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) notice online. That’s before we start mailing COLA notices in December. (Learn more about the 2025 COLA in our blog post.)

Besides the COLA, other common notices available online are:

• A benefit verification for proof that you are (or are not) getting Social Security or SSI.
• Appointment confirmation.
• Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA)
• Advance Designation of Representative Payee annual reminder.

Your Message Center inbox has links to your online notices in PDF (Portable Document Format) that you can print.

Please note:

• Online notices are available to our customers who are blind or visually impaired and have requested a special notice option.
• People with a Spanish language preference receive online notices in both Spanish and English.
• Customers with representative payees cannot opt out of paper notices.

We’re continuing to make more of our communications available online, including forms, enclosures, brochures, and additional notices. These changes not only benefit our customers, but also help us to reduce our impact on the environment.

Please share this information with your friends, family, colleagues, and clients. And, if you don’t already have a personal my Social Security account, create one today.