(NewsNation) — Those who created an online Social Security account before Sept. 18, 2021 will soon need to create a Login.gov account to continue access to their online services, according to a news release.
In “the near future,” the Social Security Administration said, users will need to have an account with Login.gov or ID.me to get access to their personal my Social Security account, as well as other online services.
More than 5 million people have already made the switch, the SSA aid.
These changes, the SSA says, are being made to simplify users’ sign-in experience and align with federal authentication standards.
“my Social Security is a safe and secure way for people to do business with us,” said Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley. “We’re excited to transition to Login.gov to access our online services, streamlining the process and ease of use for the public across agencies.”
A spokesperson for the SSA told CBS News earlier this week that the agency has not set a final deadline for legacy accounts to transition to Login.gov accounts. NewsNation reached out to the SSA to see if there have been updates and when this deadline may be set.
my Social Security accounts are used for requesting replacement cards, checking application statuses, estimating future benefits one might get, or managing ones they already have.
How to transition
People can sign in to their current Social Security accounts, where they will be given the option to transition to Login.gov. After successfully linking the accounts, a confirmation screen will pop up, and the user will have “immediate” access to my Social Security services, as well as others.
If you have an existing Login.gov or ID.me account holder, there’s no need t create a new account or take any action, the SSA said.
