What Social Security Tasks Can I Do Online? (These 12 Ones)

Close-up of hands typing on a laptop next to a coffee mug on an organized wooden desk. — Easily manage your Social Security tasks from home while typing on a laptop with coffee and a notebook nearby.

Do you know there are Social Security tasks you can do online?

If you’ve ever had to go through the trouble of finding the closest Social Security office to change your name or get a replacement for your old and missing card, you’ve probably waited a lot.

Thankfully, we now have access to the Internet, which means we can take control of our Social Security tasks and a lot of important online decisions on our own.

Whether you’re a pre-retiree or a retired person who wants to get their Social Security benefits, this article is for you. The first thing you should do is set up a free MySocialSecurity account. It’s a prerequisite for many of the items on our list here, and it can also protect you against fraud.

Once you’re done setting up your account, you can take care of your Social Security tasks online. You can review your earnings history, calculate your benefits, file for Medicare and Social Security benefits, and do so many other things. Did you set it up? Okay, now let’s begin!

social security, Social Security task — Photo by zimmytws from Shutterstock

1. Ask for a replacement Medicare card

Perhaps you’re having trouble finding your red, white, and blue Medicare card. Don’t worry, because you can solve this issue in a couple of minutes. You can apply for a replacement card online at Social Security.gov or Medicare.gov.

Sign in to your account (the one linked above), hit the “Replacement Documents” tab”, then select “Mail My Replacement Medicare Card.” It should get to you in about 30 days. Simple, right?

…Keep reading, because we know several social security tasks you can tackle online!

A conceptual watercolor illustration of a digital cursor ordering a replacement Social Security card that arrives in a physical mailbox. — Easily order a replacement Social Security card online and receive it in your mailbox in two weeks.

2. Ask for a replacement Social Security card

If your card is misplaced, stolen, or damaged and you need a replacement, there’s no need to go to a Social Security office and wait a long time. It’s easy to take care of this issue online, and in two weeks, the replacement card should be at your door.

This program is still being rolled out by the Social Security Administration and is accessible in the majority of the states. Unfortunately, it’s not available in states like Oklahoma, New Hampshire, or Alaska. You will need to apply in person at the nearest Social Security office or by mail for a new card.

Since you can only have three replacement cards in a year and ten in your lifetime, make sure you keep this one safe.

An infographic timeline showing earnings bars from age 18 to today, with a callout to check for errors in the record. — A bar chart displays your earnings history and uses a magnifying glass to help you find errors.

3. Review your earnings history

Use your MySocialSecurity online account to take a look at how much money you have earned every year since you turned 18. Keep in mind that if you find a mistake in your earnings history, the fun can end there. You might receive fewer benefits if the SSA’s record is inaccurate (which is one of the reasons your earnings history is accessible). Take a look and notify the Social Security Administration if you find any errors, so everything can be solved ASAP.

Online Certificate, Social Security task — Photo by fizkes at Shutterstock

4. Estimate your Social Security benefits

Another Social Security task you can tackle online is estimating your benefits. Since you’ve paid into it for a few decades, it’s understandable that you want to know how much money you’ll get when you claim your benefits.

Thanks to your MySocialSecurity online account, you can easily access and review your Social Security statement. This is great news, especially since the SSA mails this information once a year.

Financial experts recommend staying up-to-date with your projected Social Security benefits, regardless of your age. This is particularly important if you plan to claim benefits at age 62 (the earliest eligibility), 67 (or 66, depending on your birth year), or 70, when benefits stop increasing.

Close-up of a person's hands using a laptop to click the Apply for Benefits button on the Social Security website. — A senior uses a laptop to conveniently apply for Social Security benefits from their own home.

5. Apply for Social Security benefits

You’ve chosen the date of your retirement and are of legal age. It’s now time to apply for your rightful Social Security benefits. And hey, good news: you’re no longer required to schedule an appointment with a representative or drive to an office because you can take care of this Social Security task online.

The SSA says you can apply online to start collecting your retirement payments. The process takes around 15 minutes. When you’re done filing, the SSA will get in touch with you via mail or phone if there are any inquiries regarding your application.

An editorial illustration of a Medicare card acting as a bridge between a home and healthcare services. — A Medicare card bridge connects your home to healthcare, illustrating how easily you can apply for benefits.

6. Apply for Medicare benefits

Approaching 65 years old? No worries, because you can use the Social Security website to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B. Keep in mind that your first enrollment period starts around three months before you turn 65.

Medicare Part B is your paid medical insurance, which you can refuse, and Medicare Part A is hospital insurance. The Social Security website provides you with a wealth of resources and answers a plethora of questions regarding Medicare possibilities, so read everything carefully.

A person comfortably using a tablet in a sunny home office to fill out a Social Security disability application. — A woman uses a tablet to apply for Social Security disability payments from a comfortable chair.

7. Apply for Social Security disability payments

If you suffer from a medical condition that doesn’t allow you to work for at least a year, you might be lucky and qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Go to the Social Security website, then click on the disability planner to see if you’re eligible for these benefits. Everything from the comfort of your home!

A clean progress bar showing stages of a Social Security application from submission to decision. — Check your status daily to track your application from submission through review to a mailed decision.

8. Check the status of your Social Security application

Have you submitted a Social Security application yet? This is another easy Social Security task you can tackle online. You can check the progress of your application for Social Security benefits online, and it will only take you a few minutes.

You can view your re-entry number for any unfiled online benefits application or appeal, the date the Social Security Administration received it, the time and date of your scheduled hearing, the location where your current claim or appeal is being processed, and whether a decision has been made, all within your My Social Security account.

remote job earn an extra $1K, Social Security task — Photo by Prostock-studio from Shutterstock

9. Change your address and telephone number

Let’s assume that the Social Security Administration is aware of your current address if you have moved about a bit over your professional life. You can use your MySocialSecurity account to update your contact details online. After logging in, select “My Profile,” then “Update Contact Information,” and finally make and submit the necessary adjustments. Easy.

A watercolor illustration of a phone screen switching on direct deposit, with blue waves flowing toward a bank icon. — A hand toggles direct deposit to on for secure and instant payments to your bank account.

10. Set up or change direct deposit

As of 2013, older Social Security beneficiaries can convert to direct deposit at any time, but new beneficiaries must start receiving their benefits electronically. If you have a MySocialSecurity account, you can set up or modify your Social Security benefit direct deposit online.

A man carefully reviewing paperwork and a laptop screen under a desk lamp to prepare a Social Security appeal. — A man reviews his documents by lamplight while preparing to file a Social Security appeal online.

11. Appeal a Social Security decision

How come? You were turned down when you applied for Social Security benefits. There’s no need to worry because that unfavorable decision can be appealed online. You have up to 60 days to file an appeal after receiving your refusal. The letter will include the reasons for the denial.

There are four recourse options you can try: a federal court review, an administrative law judge hearing, an SSA Appeals Council review, or a reconsideration request.

A technical diagram showing the simple process of selecting, downloading, and printing a 1099 tax form from a computer. — Easily download and print your Form 1099-R from your laptop to simplify your tax filing process.

12. Print your 1099

When it’s tax season, you’ll need all of your documents, and some who file early might not want to wait for their Form 1099 to arrive. Fortunately, you can take care of this Social Security task online. For any benefits you received in the prior year, you can print Form 1099 from your MySocialSecurity account, so sign up ASAP.

…If you want to learn more about Social Security benefits and how to make the most of them, check out this amazing book! It has all the information and tips you need!

What are your thoughts on this article? Did you know about these Social Security tasks you can solve online? Let us know in the comments below! If you enjoyed reading this article and would like to check out something else from The Money Place, here’s a good post for you: Don’t Miss Out on These 4 Military Veteran Financial Benefits!