How to Change Your Address for Social Security

Whether you need to update your address with Social Security depends on whether you currently receive benefits. If you do not receive Social Security benefits, SSI payments, or Medicare, you do not need to notify SSA of your new address. If you do receive benefits or are enrolled in Medicare, you can update your mailing address online through the My Profile tab in your my Social Security account at ssa.gov, by phone, or in person at a local SSA office.

But SSA is only one of several agencies that keeps its own address file. A USPS change of address forwards your mail temporarily, it does not update your records at the IRS, your state DMV, the VA, or any other government body. This article covers how to change your address with Social Security step by step, which other agencies need to hear from you when you move, and what happens if you skip any of them. GovPlus's address change kit prepares the forms for SSA, IRS, USPS, your state DMV, the VA, and more, so everything goes out together.

Why does changing your address with Social Security require its own step?

A USPS change of address forwards physical mail for up to 12 months. What it does not do is notify SSA, the IRS, your state motor vehicle agency, or any other government body. Each keeps its own address file and requires separate notification.

How do you change your address with Social Security?

SSA gives you three ways to update your mailing address.

Online: If you are currently receiving Social Security retirement, disability, Medicare, or SSI benefits, you can sign in to your my Social Security account at ssa.gov and update your mailing address directly. The online option is available only to people already receiving benefits.[1]

By phone: Call 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m local time. This option works whether or not you are receiving benefits.

In person: Visit any local SSA office. The office locator is at ssa.gov.

If your name also changed, GOV+'s name change kit covers SSA name updates alongside the IRS, the VA, and other agencies.

The complete agency checklist: everyone who needs your new address when you move

This table covers the government agencies and institutions that maintain their own address records. A USPS change of address does not update any of them.

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GovPlus prepares the forms for each agency in the table. You review, sign, and mail each form to the appropriate agency. GovPlus is a private filing-assistance service, not a government agency, and does not submit applications on your behalf.

What happens if you don't update your address after moving?

At SSA, your Form SSA-1099 and benefit letters are mailed to the address on file, so an outdated address can cause you to miss important tax and benefit correspondence.

At the IRS, a paper refund or balance-due notice can go to the wrong address, which may delay your awareness of a tax issue.

At the DMV, deadlines vary by state, and many states require you to update your address within a set period after moving. An outdated address can cause problems with your license and registration records.

At the VA, outdated contact information can delay benefits correspondence, appointment reminders, and other mail.

Where the GOV+ address change kit fits

GOV+'s address change service consolidates the five-agency update into one process. Answer a few questions online, and receive:

• Pre-filled forms for USPS, IRS, SSA, the DMV, and the VA
• Each form pre-sorted by agency, with its own prepaid envelope
• Step-by-step instructions for each agency, in the order to send them
• Real-time tracking from kit delivery through each agency's confirmation
• 24/7 support if anything needs attention

Change your address with GOV+

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Social Security address online?

Yes, if you receive Social Security retirement, disability, or survivors benefits, or if you are enrolled in Medicare. SSI recipients cannot change their address online and must contact SSA directly.

Does a USPS change of address also update my address with Social Security?

No. A USPS change of address sets up mail forwarding, but it does not update your records with SSA, the IRS, your state DMV, the VA, or other agencies that keep separate address records.

If I change my address with Social Security, will my benefits be interrupted?

No. An address update at SSA is a contact information change only. It does not affect your benefit payments, payment schedule, or eligibility for any program. Direct deposit payments are not affected. Paper check recipients will have checks routed to the new address going forward.

Do veterans need to update their address separately with the VA?

Yes. The Department of Veterans Affairs maintains its own address records, separate from SSA and the IRS. Update your VA address at the VA's address change page or by calling 1-800-827-1000. GOV+'s address change service includes the VA notification form alongside the other agency forms.

References

1. Social Security Administration. "Update Contact Information." SSA.gov.
2. Internal Revenue Service. "About Form 8822, Change of Address." IRS.gov.
3. United States Postal Service. "Change of Address and Mail Forwarding." USPS.com.
4. U.S. Department of State. "U.S. Passports." Travel.state.gov.
5. Department of Veterans Affairs. "Change Your Address on File with VA." VA.gov.