What documentation do I need before starting my Social Security online application?

I went through this last year and it was actually easier than I expected! Here's what I needed to have handy: - Social Security number (obviously) - Birth certificate - W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns for last year - Military discharge papers if applicable - Bank account info for direct deposit The application took me about 30 minutes. Make sure you have a My Social Security account set up beforehand - that will save you time. If you get stuck or disconnected, they save your progress so you can come back to it. Also, if you're struggling to reach an agent by phone to ask questions (which I did several times), check out Claimyr.com - I used their service to get through to a rep without the usual hold time. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration when I had questions about my specific situation.

my wife did hers last month she said it wasnt too bad. took about 45 min. have ur ss card, birth certificate, maybe marriage stuff if ur doing spousal stuff. bank numbers for direct deposit. they save it if u need to stop and come back later

The SSA website has an official checklist with everything you'll need. For most retirement benefit applications, you need to have: 1. Your Social Security number and birth date 2. Place of birth 3. Citizenship status 4. Social Security benefits you currently receive or have applied for 5. Military service information (dates, branch, etc.) 6. Employer details for current year and previous two years 7. Self-employment information for current and previous two years 8. Direct deposit information (bank routing and account numbers) However, you generally do NOT need to upload scanned documents for a standard retirement application. The SSA typically verifies your information electronically with other government agencies. They'll specifically request any documents they cannot verify electronically. A few important exceptions require documents: - If you were born outside the US - If you're applying for spousal benefits and were married less than 1 year - If you've changed your name and it doesn't match SSA records The application typically takes 25-45 minutes to complete once you have everything ready.

When I applied online last year, I thought I'd need to upload a bunch of documents too, but for basic retirement benefits, they didn't require any uploads. They just needed me to input information from my documents. The only things I absolutely needed: - SS number - Birth info - Citizenship status - Employment history (last 2 years) - Bank info for direct deposit However, I did end up getting a letter about 2 weeks later asking me to bring my birth certificate to the local office because they couldn't verify it electronically (I was born in a rural area in the 1950s and apparently those records aren't all digitized). Also, the application will ask if you want to apply for Medicare at the same time (if you're near 65). If so, have your health insurance info ready. The whole process took me about 35 minutes, and I received my approval letter about 3 weeks later. Good luck!

I just did mine 2 months ago. Just basic info needed honestly. Make sure u know all ur previous employers for past 2 yrs! That's where I got stuck lol had to dig around for that info. No scanning needed for regular retirement stuff. Just have ur SSN, birth date, bank info for deposits, previous work places. Pretty simple honestly

The whole process is MUCH more complicated than they make it sound!!! I tried doing mine online and kept getting ERROR messages when I was nearly finished! Lost ALL my work! Had to start over THREE TIMES!!! Then waited on hold for 2+ hours trying to get help. ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE. Just go to the office in person if you can!!!

Thank you everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much better prepared now. I've got my SS card, birth certificate, bank info, and I'll make sure I know my employment history for the past couple years. Good to know I probably won't need to upload actual documents for a standard retirement application. I'm going to set aside an hour this weekend to start the process. Really appreciate all the advice!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who recently went through this process! I applied online about 6 weeks ago and it was pretty straightforward once I had everything organized. The key things that really helped me: 1. I printed out a checklist beforehand and gathered everything in one folder 2. Made sure I had exact employment dates for the past 2 years (called my old HR department to confirm) 3. Had my spouse's SSN ready since I was applying for spousal benefits too 4. Did it on a Sunday morning when the system wasn't busy The whole thing took me about 40 minutes, and I got my approval letter 3 weeks later. One thing I'd add that others haven't mentioned - if you've ever received disability benefits or other SSA benefits in the past, have those dates ready too. They asked about that during my application. Also agree with others about having backup contact methods ready if you need help. The phone wait times can be brutal during peak hours. Good luck with your application!

As someone who works in benefits administration, I'd recommend creating a simple document checklist before you start. Here's what I tell people to have ready: **Essential Info (not necessarily physical documents):** - Your SSN and birth details - Employment history for last 2 years (company names, dates, approximate earnings) - Bank routing/account numbers for direct deposit - Military service dates if applicable **Potential Documents (have accessible but probably won't need to upload):** - Birth certificate - Most recent W-2 or tax return - Marriage certificate (if applying for spousal benefits) The key is having the *information* from these documents, not necessarily scanned copies. The system pulls most verification electronically. Pro tip: Start the application even if you don't have every detail perfect - you can save progress and come back. I've seen people delay for months trying to get "everything perfect" when they could have completed it with what they already had. The Medicare question will come up if you're near 65, so think about whether you want to apply simultaneously. Most people do since it's convenient. Good luck! The online system has improved significantly in recent years.

I just completed my application last month and wanted to share a few additional tips that really helped me! First, make sure you know your mother's maiden name - they ask for this as a security verification question. Second, if you've moved a lot, have your address history for the past few years ready. The system asked me about previous addresses going back about 5 years. One thing that caught me off guard was they asked about any pensions I might be receiving from previous employers. Even though I'm not getting any yet, I had to indicate whether I had pension plans from past jobs that I might receive in the future. So if you worked anywhere with a pension plan, have those details handy. The application definitely saves your progress automatically as you go, which was reassuring. I actually got interrupted halfway through and came back to it the next day with no issues. Also, double-check your bank account and routing numbers before submitting! I almost entered my savings account instead of checking by mistake. They do let you change your direct deposit info later, but it's easier to get it right the first time. The whole process was much less stressful than I anticipated. You've got this!

As someone who just went through this process a few weeks ago, I can add a couple more tips that might help! One thing I wish I had known beforehand is that they ask for your estimated monthly expenses during retirement - things like housing costs, utilities, etc. It's not required for approval, but having a rough idea helps them provide better benefit estimates. I had to guess on the spot and wasn't very prepared for that section. Also, if you've ever legally changed your name for any reason (marriage, divorce, etc.), make sure the name on your application exactly matches what's in their system. I had an issue because I went by my middle name professionally but my SSA records were under my first name. It wasn't a huge deal but caused a small delay. The application will also ask if you want your benefits to start as soon as you're eligible or if you want to delay them for increased monthly payments. It's worth thinking about this ahead of time since it affects your benefit amount significantly. One last thing - they give you a confirmation number when you submit. Screenshot it or write it down immediately! You'll need it if you have to call them about your application status. The whole thing really isn't as scary as it seems once you dive in. You've gotten great advice from everyone here!

Just wanted to add my experience from applying about 3 months ago! One thing that really helped me was setting up a "Social Security application folder" on my computer desktop where I saved screenshots of all the key info I needed - employment dates, bank account details, etc. That way I could just alt-tab between the application and my notes without having to dig through physical papers. Also, if you're married and planning to apply for spousal benefits, double-check whether you want to apply for your own benefits, spousal benefits, or both. The application will walk you through this, but it's helpful to understand the basics beforehand. Sometimes you're eligible for both and they'll pay you the higher amount. One small thing - the application asks about any workers' compensation or other disability payments you've received. Even if it was years ago, have those approximate dates ready if applicable. The whole process really has gotten much smoother than it used to be. I was done in about 35 minutes and got my determination letter in just over 2 weeks. Much easier than I was expecting based on all the horror stories I'd heard! You're smart to prepare ahead of time - that's really the key to making it go smoothly.

As someone who recently helped my elderly father through this process, I wanted to share a few things that made a big difference for us: First, if you're close to your full retirement age, consider whether you want to start benefits immediately or delay them. Each year you delay past full retirement age (up to age 70), your monthly benefit increases by about 8%. The application will ask about your preferred start date. Second, have your tax information handy - not necessarily to upload, but they may ask about your income from last year, especially if you're still working. This helps them calculate any potential reductions in benefits. One thing that really helped was doing a practice run on the SSA website's benefit calculator first. It gave us a good sense of what to expect and helped identify any potential issues with his earnings record before starting the actual application. Also, if you run into any technical issues or need to speak with someone, I found that calling right at 8 AM when they open gives you the best chance of shorter wait times. The afternoons are brutal. The whole process took about 50 minutes for us, but having everything organized beforehand made it much less stressful. Good luck with your application!