Complete checklist of documents needed for Social Security retirement application?

Here's what I prepared when I applied last year (online application): - Original birth certificate (or certified copy) - Social Security card - W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns for last year - Marriage certificate (if applying for spousal benefits) - Divorce decree(s) if you were married 10+ years - Military discharge papers if you served - Bank account info for direct deposit (routing and account numbers) - The names of your medications and doctors if applying for disability If you're doing an in-person application, bring originals of everything. For online, you'll just need the information but may need to mail or bring documents later.

when i applied last year they just needed my ID and birth certificate. the SSA already has your work record in their system! thats what the lady told me anyway. took like 20 minutes total.

I recommend creating a my Social Security account at ssa.gov BEFORE you apply. You can verify your earnings record is correct, estimate your benefit amount, and see if there are any issues you need to address. If you spot missing or incorrect earnings, it's much easier to fix before you apply. As for documents, here's the official list from SSA: - Birth certificate - Proof of citizenship if not born in US - W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns from previous year - Social Security card or number - Military discharge papers (DD-214) if applicable - Current spouse's birth certificate and SSN if they're applying on your record - Marriage certificate if applicable - Prior marriage information if divorced/widowed - Direct deposit information One thing people often forget: gather the dates of employment for the last 2 years (month/year started and ended for each job). They ask for this during the application.

birth certificate, ss card, tax papers thats it. they make it sound complicated but its not. took me 10 mins to apply online.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I'm definitely going to create the my Social Security account first to check my earnings record. Good point about the military service - I need to find those discharge papers. One more question - I was widowed in 2019 (my husband was 61 and not collecting SS yet). Do I need his death certificate even though I'm applying for retirement on my own record, not survivor benefits? We were married 32 years if that matters.

Just want to add something nobody mentioned yet - if you changed your name at ANY point in your life, bring documentation of EVERY name change. I had a complete disaster with my application because I couldn't prove the link between my birth name and married name (my marriage certificate was destroyed in a flood years ago). Had to go through a whole legal process to get certified copies of court records. Also, they may ask for children's birth certificates if they're disabled and were disabled before age 22 (they might qualify for benefits on your record). And if you worked for the federal government or a state/local government that didn't withhold Social Security taxes, bring proof of that pension as it could reduce your SS benefit (called Windfall Elimination Provision or WEP).

One more document tip: If you're planning to apply online, scan all your documents beforehand and save them as PDFs. The online system allows you to upload supporting documents directly rather than mailing them or bringing them to an office. Also, regarding the question about W-2s: they typically only need the most recent year's tax documents. However, if there are gaps or discrepancies in your earnings record (view this on your my Social Security account), having W-2s or tax returns from those specific years can help fix those issues. Lastly, if you're still working and planning to continue working, understand how the earnings limit works for 2025 (if you're under your Full Retirement Age). Earning above $22,125 (approximate 2025 limit) will reduce your benefits temporarily if you're under FRA.

Everyone's given great advice! I just want to add that if you're struggling to gather all these documents or worried about making mistakes, you can get free help from a SHIP counselor (State Health Insurance Assistance Program). They help with Medicare enrollment too, which you'll be doing at the same time most likely. Also, I suggest keeping a detailed log of EVERY interaction with SSA - names of representatives you speak with, confirmation numbers, what was discussed, next steps, etc. Their system is so fragmented that one office often doesn't know what another told you. Having this documentation saved me when they lost part of my application!