There have been many articles published about a recent announcement by the Social Security Administration requiring certain people to provide in-person proof of their identity.  Many of the public media accounts have been misleading or confusing, sometimes written with a political agenda. On the other hand, the Social Security Administration has issued a rather concise Press Release about forthcoming process changes which are specifically intended to reduce the amount of Social Security fraud now being experienced. A large part of the announced changes suggest that it will sometimes be necessary to visit a Social Security office to provide proof of identity for certain transactions.  Click here to see Social Security’s Press Release. 

In an effort to clarify any confusion about these changes, the AMAC Foundation suggests that you should first realize that the Social Security changes to be implemented on March 31, 2025, do not affect anyone who is simply collecting benefits.  Those who are now getting benefits will continue to do so uninterrupted.

Requiring Proof of Identity

About 86 million people already have an online “my Social Security” account, and those who have online access have nothing to fear by this change. Anyone with an established online SS account can still apply for SS benefits and won’t need to provide in person proof by visiting a Social Security office.  That’s because their online credential already verifies who they are (see note on this below).

The only beneficiaries who will need to provide in-person identity proof to Social Security are those who cannot apply online and wish to apply over the telephone.  SSA will take their application over the phone (by appointment) but will require them to visit their local SS office to provide proof of identity and verify where they want their payment to go.  This applies also to anyone who wishes to change the destination of their current monthly Social Security payment – they can request the change over the phone but will be required to provide proof in person at their local SS office.  All this to reduce/eliminate fraud, especially among seniors who are most vulnerable to fraud.  Our understanding it that only specific telephone transactions will be required to provide in-person identity proof; but those with a valid “my Social Security” online account will not.

Additional Security for Online Access

Part of the announced change is that everyone with a current “my Social Security” online account must, by 3/31/2025, have a valid LOGIN.gov, or ID.me, government credential for accessing their Social Security account. Previously, only a relatively simple “password-plus-2factor-authentication” method was used. Social Security has for many months encouraged those who use the old SS password method for online access to switch to the approved and more secure LOGIN.gov or ID.me method.  For those with a current SSA online account, that is a relatively simple switch, which is now required to be done to access one’s “my Social Security” account after March 31, 2025. Also worthy of note is that Social Security will be expediting processing of direct-deposit change requests to one day, from the previous 30 days.

So to recap:  no one currently collecting SS benefits need worry about this, unless they need to change where their monthly benefit is deposited.  And everyone who already has an online “my Social Security” account can still apply for benefits or make changes as usual, without requiring an in-person visit to prove identity. Only those who wish to apply for benefits or change the destination of their monthly deposit over the phone, are affected.

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.