A Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for Social Security Benefits Online

The Social Security Administration (SSA) handles applications for Social Security benefits, including retirement, disability, survivor, and more.

You can apply for any kind of Social Security benefit in the comfort of your home, without having to make an appointment or wait in line at a local SSA office.

The online application process is secure, convenient, easy, and fast.

Types of Social Security Benefits

Social Security retirement benefits are the most well-known of all Social Security benefits. But the SSA pays out several different kinds:

• Retirement benefits: Payments to retired adults who have paid Social Security taxes during their working years.
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): Payments to those with disabilities that prevent them from working or limit their ability to work.
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Payments to older adults and people with disabilities who have limited or no income or resources.
• Survivor benefits: Payments to spouses, ex-spouses, children, and dependent parents of workers who have passed away.

How to Apply for Social Security Benefits Online

You can apply for the four kinds of Social Security benefits online. All the applications follow the same general process, though the specific information you will need to provide may vary.

1. Check Eligibility

You must meet all the eligibility criteria for the type of benefit that you’re applying for. You can check your eligibility online.

2. Create an Account

Open a my Social Security account online with the Social Security Administration—it’s free. Once you have your account, you can start your application for benefits.

3. Gather Your Information

As part of your application process, you will need to provide the SSA with certain information. This will vary depending on the type of benefits you are applying for, but in general, you will need to provide:

• Your name and Social Security number
• The city, state, and country where you were born
• Social Security numbers, birthdays, and places of birth for any current or former spouses
• Dates/locations of any marriages and divorces
• Earnings verification through the Social Security Administration
• Records of work in the past 5 years, including employer name and location, dates of employment, pay rate, and pay stubs or W-2s
• Names, ages, and disability records of any children
• Direct deposit information, including bank account and routing number

If you are applying for SSI or disability benefits, you will also need to provide information about your medical condition or disability, including:

• Names and contact information of your doctors and any hospitals/clinics where you have received treatment
• Records of medical tests
• List of medications you take
• Date of any injuries or workers’ compensation claims
• Permission for the SSA to access your medical records

For SSI applications, you will also need to provide information about your income and any other financial resources you have access to.

4. Fill Out Your Application

With the information you need at hand, log in to your account and select “Apply.” The website will walk you through the application.

You don’t have to complete the application in one sitting. You can choose to save your progress and return to your application on another day. After completing it, submit it through your online account.

5. Follow Up

After submitting your application, you may be contacted by a representative from the SSA with additional questions. At any point, you can check your application’s status through the dashboard of your my Social Security account.

6. Appeal

Should your application not be approved, your claim for Social Security benefits will be denied. If this happens, you can file an appeal of this decision. There are four levels of appeal:

1. Reconsideration: You can submit a request for reconsideration through your online account. The SSA may request additional information from you.
2. Hearing with a judge: If your request for reconsideration fails, you can ask for a hearing with an administrative law judge.
3. Review of hearing decision: If you don’t agree with the judge’s decision, you can ask to have the decision reviewed by the Appeals Council.
4. Federal court district action: If you don’t agree with the decision of the Appeals Council, you can file a federal court district action with the U.S. District Court.

If the court disallows your application, you will not receive Social Security benefits. At any point in the appeals process, however, your application may be approved.

7. Start Receiving Benefits

Once your application is approved, you’ll begin receiving monthly Social Security payments.

During your application process, you can select the month in which you want your benefits to start, which can be up to four months after your application. You will receive your first benefit payment the month after the one you pick.

So, for example, if you want to start getting your benefit payments in May, you will need to apply between December and April. When you apply, select April as your starting month. Your first Social Security payment will arrive in May.

The Bottom Line

You can apply for any of the four types of Social Security benefits—retirement, disability, SSI, and survivor benefits—through a my Social Security online account at the SSA.

Once your application is approved, you’ll start receiving benefits the month after the month you select as your start date.

You can also use this account to check the status of your application, set up direct deposit, track your benefits, and more.

If you submit an application for benefits that isn’t approved, you can appeal that decision, starting with the SSA and working your way up to the U.S. District Court.