Social Security Award Letter and Benefit Verification Letter

Online, by Phone or in Person: The Three Ways to Get It

You can get a Social Security award letter without leaving home. Pick the route that fits how soon you need it.

Way to ask	Who can use it	How fast	What you do
my Social Security account	Anyone with an account, including people who have never applied	Right away, as a PDF	Sign in, open the benefit letter page, then view, print or save
SSA’s automated phone line, 1-800-772-1213	People getting benefits or with a pending application	Mailed within 10 business days	Call any time, day or night, and say “proof of income”
Phone representative, same number	Same as above	Mailed within 10 business days	Call Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Local office visit	People who can’t use the first three	Varies	Make an appointment first

SSA calls the online account the fastest, most efficient way to get the letter. If you need it for a loan closing or a housing application this week, use the account. The mail can’t beat a PDF you print today.

What the Letter Proves and When You Need It

SSA’s benefit verification letter is one document that covers several situations. SSA says it proves that you:

• get Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicare;
• have never received Social Security benefits or SSI;
• have applied for benefits.

SSA personalizes it to your current Social Security, SSI and Medicare status. So what your letter says depends on your situation: a retiree’s letter shows benefits, while an applicant’s shows the pending claim.

People most often need it for a mortgage, a loan, housing assistance or another program that checks income. If you’re asked to prove you don’t receive benefits, sometimes called an ineligibility letter, the same download covers it.

Getting Your Letter Online, Start to Finish

Most people finish this in a few minutes once they have an account.

1. Go to ssa.gov and sign in to your my Social Security account. If you don’t have one, create it first using the my Social Security account guide.
2. Open the benefit verification letter page from the Manage Benefits menu.
3. View the letter on screen, then print it or save the PDF to your phone or computer.
4. Send or bring the PDF to whoever asked for it.

If you live outside the United States, SSA says to register and sign in with ID.me rather than Login.gov.

If You Can’t Sign in to Your Account

SSA now signs everyone in through Login.gov or ID.me. The old Social Security username and password stopped working on June 7, 2025, so an account you made years ago may need a new sign-in.

To set one up you need an email address of your own, a government-issued photo ID, and either a phone number (Login.gov) or a device with a camera (ID.me). SSA says each person needs a unique email address, so spouses can’t share one. If your only phone is a landline, Login.gov can send your sign-in code by voice call, and ID.me may let you verify on a video call.

The my Social Security account guide walks through both options. If you get stuck, order the letter by phone instead.

Ordering a Letter by Phone or Mail

If you can’t use the online account, call 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can call TTY 1-800-325-0778.

The automated line works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in English and Spanish. When you hear “How can I help you today?” say “proof of income.” A live representative is available Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time.

SSA mails phone orders within 10 business days. The letter goes only to the address SSA has on file. Confirm or update it first with the change of address guide. If you get SSI, you need to contact SSA to change your address rather than doing it online.

Proof While Your Application Is Pending

You don’t have to wait for a decision to prove you applied. The benefit verification letter can show a pending application, which some housing and assistance programs ask for.

To see where your claim stands, sign in and use SSA’s application and appeal status tool. SSA says many factors affect how long a review takes, and the tool shows when SSA expects to have a decision. You can also call the automated line and say “application status.”

Once SSA approves your claim, download a fresh letter. It will then show your benefit rather than the pending application.

Letters for a Spouse, Parent or Child

You can’t download a letter for another adult online, even a spouse. The one exception is a representative payee.

If SSA has named you representative payee for someone, sign in to your own account and open Representative Payee Services. Choose “Benefit Verification Letter” in the menu on the right side of the page. You can view, print and save that person’s letter right away.

You can also call to ask for a payee letter. SSA mails it to the representative payee’s address within 10 business days. If you’re caring for someone and SSA hasn’t named you payee, they need to request their own letter.

Which SSA Document Do You Need?

Lenders and agencies ask for different papers. This table matches the request to the right document.

What you’re asked for	The document to get	Where to get it
Award letter, benefits letter, proof of income	Benefit verification letter	my Social Security or 1-800-772-1213
Proof you don’t get benefits	Benefit verification letter	my Social Security
Proof you applied	Benefit verification letter	my Social Security or phone
Benefits paid last year, for taxes	SSA-1099 (or SSA-1042S)	my Social Security
Estimates of future benefits	Social Security Statement	my Social Security

Your payment dates are a separate question. The 2026 payment schedule lists every one.

If the Letter Shows the Wrong Amount or a Decision You Disagree With

First check that the letter is current. Your benefit amount can change each January with the cost-of-living adjustment, so an old printout may show last year’s figure. Download a fresh copy before you send it, and keep the PDF so you can share it again without a new request.

If the letter reflects a decision you disagree with, such as a denial or a lower benefit, you can appeal. SSA asks you to request reconsideration within 60 days of receiving the decision. Appeals have four levels: reconsideration, a hearing with an administrative law judge, review by the Appeals Council, then federal court. You may not need all four.

Do You Need to Visit an Office?

Usually not. The online letter and the phone line handle nearly every request.

An office visit makes sense if you can’t create an account and can’t wait for the mail, or if SSA tells you to come in. The office finder lists all 1,231 offices. Of those, 1,194 keep standard hours, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Make an appointment first; the office hours guide explains how.

Big cities have several offices to choose from. Chicago has offices such as the Chicago Loop office at 605 W Washington Blvd. Philadelphia, San Antonio and Dallas each list theirs with addresses and phone numbers. The what to bring guide lists the documents to have with you.

Don’t Pay for a Benefit Letter

SSA’s services are free, and that includes this letter. SSA warns that imposters charge for government forms and documents that are normally free.

SSA also says it will never ask for sensitive personal information by social media, email or text. Get your letter only from ssa.gov or SSA’s own phone number. If someone offers to get it for a fee, report them at oig.ssa.gov/report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Benefit Verification Letter the Same as an Award Letter?

For proof of income, yes. SSA says its benefit verification letter is sometimes called a budget letter, a benefits letter, a proof of income letter or a proof of award letter. It is the document SSA offers when a lender, landlord or agency asks for proof of your benefits.

Can I Get a Letter Showing I Don't Receive Benefits?

Yes. The same benefit verification letter can show that you have never received Social Security benefits or SSI. You can download it from your my Social Security account even if you have never applied.

How Long Does a Mailed Benefit Letter Take?

SSA mails a benefit verification letter within 10 business days to the address it has on file. Confirm your address first, because the letter goes only to that address.

Can I Order a Letter for My Spouse or Parent?

Not online, unless you are their active representative payee. A representative payee can get the letter through Representative Payee Services in their own my Social Security account, or by calling SSA.

Does It Cost Anything?

No. SSA says its services are free of charge. A website or caller that charges you for a benefit letter isn't SSA.

Is the SSA-1099 the Same Thing?

No. The SSA-1099 is a yearly tax form showing the benefits you were paid. If you lost it or never received it, you can view, print or save a copy in your my Social Security account.

Keep Reading

• What to BringThe documents SSA asks for at common office visits and what you can do online instead
• Office Hours and AppointmentsStandard office hours, how appointments work and when to call instead
• Phone NumbersSSA's national number, local office lines and how to get through faster
• Replace a CardWho can replace a card online, the documents needed and what it costs
• Name ChangeChanging your name on your Social Security record after marriage, divorce or a court order
• Change of AddressWho must report a move, the ways to do it and what happens to your payments

Sources

1. SSA: Get benefit verification letter
2. SSA FAQ: How can I get a benefit verification letter?
3. SSA FAQ: Can I get a verification letter for a beneficiary?
4. SSA: Get Your Benefit Verification Online with my Social Security (Publication No. 05-10056)
5. SSA: Frequently Accessed Online Services (Publication No. 05-10669)
6. SSA: my Social Security account FAQs and help
7. SSA: Request reconsideration
8. SSA: Protect yourself from scams