• The Social Security Administration is upgrading its "my Social Security" personal accounts online.
• The goal is to provide a simpler login experience and more secure online access, the agency said.
• But first, some users may have to log in and transition their current accounts.

The Social Security Administration is updating its online services.

To make sure you can continue to access your account, the agency is urging you to log in, particularly if you created your online "my Social Security" account before Sept. 18, 2021. These account holders will soon have to transition to a Login.gov account to access online Social Security services.

The online my Social Security accounts enable both beneficiaries and people who are not yet receiving benefits to access services, including requesting Social Security card replacements, estimating future benefits, checking on the status of benefit applications and managing current benefits.

The online services aim to save time for both current and future beneficiaries, as well as the Social Security Administration, as the agency grapples with long wait times for its national 800 phone number. The average speed to answer those calls was about 36 minutes in the second quarter, according to the SSA. The agency is working to bring that average wait time down to 12 minutes by the end of September 2025.

How to make sure your account is up to date

Once current account holders sign in, those who need to make changes will be presented with the option to transition to Login.gov. A confirmation will appear once the account has been successfully linked, allowing access to my Social Security accounts and other services.

Account holders who already have either a Login.gov or ID.me account do not have to take any action.

To be sure, it is important to verify any websites or links legitimately lead to Social Security. Emails should come from a ".gov" address.

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Legitimate Social Security web links will always begin with "https://" and end with ".gov/." An example of a bone fide agency link is: https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/.

However, it is important to be mindful that fraudulent websites will closely mimic the format of the agency's links to try to lure you into entering your personal information.

If you see a suspicious email or link, it is best not to respond or click on it. Instead, you can report it to the website of the SSA's Office of the Inspector General or call the fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271.