Attention all retirees! Social Security has proposed a very important change for you (and for all those who receive money from this service, of course) and that is that the Social Security Administration (SSA) has decided to take a step forward and modernize all its services, so it has made it mandatory that, to manage any type of transaction, you use the government website. If the measure has caught you by surprise and you still have trouble understanding it, wait until we tell you everything you need to know!
Mandatory use of login.gov
That’s right, from now on it will be mandatory and essential for beneficiaries to register on the login.gov platform. This new requirement has been a cold shower for all those people who had not fully registered on this government website, because since October the SSA has confirmed that the accounts of these people would be closed. So, if you registered on the My Social Security platform before September 18, 2021 and have not registered on login-gov… you probably have not received any payment this month.
And it is mandatory for the government that you register on this new platform to keep your benefits!
Why are they forcing people to use this platform?
The SSA has announced this as a way to improve and manage access to applications, so that possible fraud can be avoided. Login.gov will be a very secure platform where users can manage their own accounts, protected from cyberattacks.
Beneficiaries will be able to continue carrying out the same tasks as before (checking and calculating payments, managing current benefits and requesting SSA cards) as if they were using the same application as before.
And what is the problem?
Well, in increasingly aging societies, there are many older adults who suffer from these technological barriers and everything that involves an Internet page will sound like Mandarin to them.
And it is already seen practically every day how some older people do not find the buttons on the screens, or when they have to make a simple transaction in other types of places, some feel especially excluded or vulnerable to these types of requirements.
On the other hand, people who do not have access to the Internet in rural areas or depressed areas will have even greater difficulty in carrying out this process.
How do I register on login.gov?
The process is not complicated at all and we are going to leave it described here to make it easier for you:
- Access the SSA website by clicking here (it is their original website)
- Select login.gov and it will redirect you directly to the platform we are talking about.
- Create an account, choose a secure password and provide an email address that you use often
- Verify your identity (they will probably ask you for your SSA number and your identification number to complete the process)
- Check your email because they will have sent you an activation code that you will need to enter the platform.
- Accept the terms and conditions of use of the website and you will have fully completed your registration!
The basic requirements for registration are very simple: a valid email address, your social security number, and being at least 18 years old at the time of registration.
You have already seen that this modern measure is here to stay, and that is, it aims to improve the accessibility of users, however, you have already seen that many of them will need extra help to carry out their transactions, whether from a family member or a friend, or even from community resources) to be able to make their requests.
Don’t worry if you still find yourself lost because the SSA has enabled customer service lines where they will be happy to answer any questions.
Make sure to complete your registration to continue opting for SSA benefits and don’t be left behind!