The Easy Way to Get a Social Security Statement for Taxes

It’s that time of year again, time to gather the documents you need for filing your federal income taxes.

If you receive Social Security retirement benefits, you’ll need a copy of your latest annual Social Security Benefit Statement, also known as Form SSA-1099 (or Form SSA-1042S for nonresident aliens). It includes the amount of benefits you received last year, which you must report on your federal tax return.

The Social Security Administration mails benefit statements each January. But if yours hasn’t come yet, or you lost it, you can easily view, print or download a copy online via your online Social Security account, provided that you live in the United States.

Following are step-by-step directions for getting your benefit statement this way. If you don’t have a Social Security account yet, we will walk you through creating one, too.

How to get a copy of your Social Security statement online

If you already have a Social Security account at SSA.gov, here’s how to get your latest annual benefit statement via your account:

1. Sign in to your account, which brings you to your Overview page.
2. Click on the “Replacement Documents” tab.
3. Look for Form SSA-1099/SSA-1042S.

You then should be able to select the form to view, print or save it.

How to create a Social Security account

If you haven’t already registered for a Social Security account, also called a “my Social Security” account, go to SSA.gov/myaccount and click the “Create an Account” button.

You’ll be asked to verify your identity, create a username and password for your account, and confirm a security code sent to your phone number or email address.

Don’t worry if there is a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit report. Follow the Social Security Administration’s instructions for lifting it temporarily.

Note: After creating an account, you can opt out of receiving Social Security correspondence by mail, instead receiving it through your account. If you wish to do this, follow the directions on the administration’s “Opt Out of Mailed Notices That Are Available Online” page.

Why open a Social Security account

A Social Security account is worth having. It is useful for tracking your Social Security statements and payments.

You can also see your earnings history and estimated future benefits, and order a new Social Security card, from your account.

Additionally, registering for your account can thwart identity thieves, as we detail in “Don’t Overlook This Way to Protect Your Social Security From Identity Thieves.”

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