The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a new mandatory requirement for most of their beneficiaries, that will come into effect as soon as March 31, 2025. The agency is switching up how they verify your identity: basically, they want to know if you are you, and that you actually exist.
No more phone calls will be available for this step, since it’s all moving online or in-person. Yeah, it’s a bit of a shake-up, but don’t stress. I’ll walk you through what’s changing, why it matters, and how to glide through it without hassles or headaches.
The Short version: The SSA just introduced a mandatory in-person check-up
Gone are the days of verifying your identity over the phone for benefits or direct deposit updates. Starting next week (yep, March 31 is right around the corner!), you’ll need to do one of these things:
- Hop online using the SSA’s “my Social Security” portal, or
- Visit an office in person if you’re not into digital stuff.
“Wait, why the change?”, you may be asking. It’s all about security and fraud suppression. The SSA wants to cut down on fraud, which sounds great… unless you’re someone who struggles with tech or can’t easily get to an office. More on that in a sec.
Not everyone’s gonna love this, but we know everyone wanst the SSA money to stop being leaked to people that doesn’t deserve it. If you’re tech-savvy, you’ll probably breeze through the online process. But for folks like:
- Older adults who prefer talking to a human,
- People in rural areas with spotty internet or faraway offices,
- Those with disabilities who find travel tough,
…this could feel like a hurdle. The SSA knows this, though, and they’re urging people in these groups to schedule in-person appointments ASAP to avoid delays. But, move faster than the others: Call their hotline at 1-800-772-1213 to book a space in the line. Offices might get swamped after March 31, so better safe than stuck in a line!
First time claiming your Social Security benefits? Here’s the starting point
If you’re about to retire, or you’re considering claiming your Social Security benefits, here is where you can start right now:
Online: Set up your “my Social Security” account now at SSA.gov/myaccount. If you haven’t logged in since 2022, you might need to switch to Login.gov or ID.me (it’s easy, promise).
In-person: Call that 1-800 number today to book an appointment. Seriously, don’t wait—these slots will fill up fast.
Even if you start the process by phone, you’ll still need to verify your identity online or in-person to finish it, as the new mandatory requirement dictates. Bring your government-issued ID (driver’s license, passport), Social Security card (or a copy, but the original is better), a birth certificate (just in case) or tax documents, depending on your situation.
