Social Security Resources

When You Apply for Retirement Benefits or Medicare 

 You can apply:

• Online using our Internet Social Security Benefit Application, or
• 
  By phone, or in person at any Social Security office. You can arrange for an appointment to file your application by calling our national toll-free service at 1-800-772-1213 (TDD 1-800-325-0778). An appointment is not required, but may reduce the amount of time you spend waiting in the office.

For additional resources on Social Security Retirement Benefits, consider the following:  RESOURCES

If you apply by phone or in person, we want your visit to go as smoothly as possible. You can help by being ready to answer the following questions and having as many of the needed documents as possible.

Provide documents to show that you are eligible:

• Birth certificate or other proof of birth;
• Naturalization papers;
• U.S. military discharge paper(s);
• W-2 forms(s) and/or self-employment tax returns for last year

We accept photocopies of W-2 forms, self-employment tax returns or medical documents, but we must see the original of most other documents, such as your birth certificate. (We will return them to you.)

Don’t delay filing your claim just because you don’t have all the documents. We’ll help you get them.

• When you apply for retirement benefits, we will ask you:
• Your name, gender and social security number;
• Your name at birth (if different);
• Your date of birth and place of birth (State or foreign country);
• Whether a public or religious record was made of your birth before age 5;
• Your citizenship status;
• Whether you or anyone else has ever filed for Social Security benefits, Medicare or Supplemental Security Income on your behalf (if so, we will also ask for information on whose Social Security record you applied);
• Whether you have used any other Social Security number; 
• Whether you became unable to work because of illnesses, injuries or conditions at any time within the past 14 months. If "Yes," we will also ask the date you became unable to work;
• Whether you were ever in the active military service before 1968 and, if so, the dates of service and whether you have ever been eligible to receive a monthly benefit from a military or Federal civilian agency;
• Whether you or your spouse have ever worked for the railroad industry;
• Whether you have earned social security credits under another country's social security system;
• Whether you qualified for or expect to receive a pension or annuity based on your own employment with the Federal government of the United States or one of its States or local subdivisions;
• Whether you are currently married and, if so, your spouse's name, date of birth (or age) and social security number (if known)
• The names, dates of birth (or age) and social security numbers (if known) of any former spouses;
• The dates and places of each of your marriages and, for marriages that have ended, how and when they ended;
• The names of any unmarried children under 18, 18 -19 and in secondary school or disabled before age 22;
• The name(s) of your employer(s) and/or information about your self-employment and the amount of your earnings for this year, last year and next year;
• Whether you had earnings in all years since 1978;
• Whether we may contact your employers for wage information;
• Whether you have any unsatisfied felony warrants for your arrest or unsatisfied Federal or State warrants for your arrest for any violations of the conditions of your parole or probation;
• The month you want your benefits to begin; and
• If you are within 3 months of age 65, whether you want to enroll in Supplemental Medical Insurance (Part B of Medicare)

Depending on the information you provide, the Social Security Administration office may need to ask other questions.

You also should bring along your checkbook or other papers that show your account number at a bank, credit union or other financial institution so you can sign up for Direct Deposit, and avoid worries about lost or stolen checks and mail delays.