Thousands of retirees could lose their Social Security account if they fail to comply with the new guidelines from the federal agency. As the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently confirmed, those retirees who fail to transfer to the new login account will face their account termination. Due to recent changes in the SSA’s online services, all beneficiaries who registered for an online account before September 18th, 2021, will have to transition to the new Login.gov account; otherwise, their account will be canceled if they don’t migrate before August 31st. The federal agency is taking this step to comply with new federal authentication standards and streamline the sign-in process, although the current sign-in account is secure. The new approach is designed to provide safe and secure access to online resources.
Closing of Social Security retiree accounts soon
According to the most recent news, the federal agency has set a new deadline for all beneficiaries who haven’t yet made the migration to the new login account until Friday, August 31st. Beneficiaries must make the transition before the deadline, as any Social Security accounts that have not undergone the transition will be closed by the SSA after the deadline. According to the government, the transition from My Social Security to the Login.gov platform is designed to simplify the enrollment process, ensure secure access, and comply with federal authentication regulations.
Login.gov is designed to reassure users that anything unavailable on My Social Security is available on Login.gov. The only thing that has changed is the method of access. Any American worker who pays Social Security taxes, whether they receive benefits or not, can register for a free My Social Security account. With this account, beneficiaries will be able to calculate future payments, manage benefits previously received, apply for a replacement Social Security card, and check the status of an application. In addition, the SSA emphasizes that beneficiaries will be able to access other government accounts with this new login.
In addition to Social Security, the Login.gov account service is already used by several government agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security. Without creating a new account, more than 5 million account holders have already switched to 2-step verification. Starting in June 2024, 46 million of the 86 million users will be required to switch to a Login.gov account, according to an SSA spokesperson.
The transition process to migrate to the new Login.gov account
Customers who created their “My Social Security account” before September 18, 2021, must change their account to an active Login.gov account. To do so, log in to your Social Security account and follow the instructions to the account opening page. After this, a confirmation screen will appear, and users will have quick access to their personal SSA services. Since the transition process could be confusing for some beneficiaries, we added here a step-by-step guide to help beneficiaries understand the transition process:
- Log in to secure.ssa.gov.
- Click on Login.gov.
- A link opens.
- Click Create an account.
- Please enter your email address and password.
- Please provide personal information to verify your identity.
- You will be given an activation code to finish the transaction.
- Before you may access your Social Security account, you must first read and agree to the Terms and Conditions.
- Once your account is created, you must specify whether you want to receive notifications via email or text message.
Remember, you must have an email address and a Social Security number and be at least 18 years old to complete this transition. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is excited about the transition to Login.gov, which will simplify procedures and make it easier for the public to navigate between agencies while providing millions of beneficiaries with access to online services. In addition, the SSA encourages beneficiaries to complete this transition as soon as possible.
