Resources
Resource directory
Hand-picked links to official SSA and Medicare tools, forms, publications, and research. Every link goes to a primary source.
Resources
SSA Retirement Estimator
Personalized estimates based on your actual earnings record.
Online Benefits Calculator
Detailed downloadable and online benefit calculators from the Office of the Chief Actuary.
Life Expectancy Calculator
Estimate average life expectancy to inform claiming decisions.
Early or Late Retirement Calculator
See how claiming age changes your monthly benefit.
Earnings Test Calculator
How working while claiming early affects your benefits.
Windfall Elimination Provision Calculator
Estimate the historical WEP effect on benefits.
Quick Calculator
Rough benefit estimate from your date of birth and earnings.
Medicare Plan Finder
Compare Medicare Advantage and Part D plans in your area.
Apply for Retirement Benefits
Start your online retirement benefit application.
Apply for Disability Benefits
File for SSDI online or learn what documents you need.
Apply for Medicare
Enroll in Medicare and review enrollment periods.
Form SSA-1099 (Benefit Statement)
Get your annual benefit statement for tax filing.
Request a Replacement Social Security Card
Apply online for a replacement card in most states.
Form SSA-44 (Medicare IRMAA Life-Changing Event)
Request a reduction of income-related Medicare premium surcharges.
Appeal a Decision
Request reconsideration or a hearing on a benefits decision.
Direct Deposit Sign-Up
Set up or change direct deposit for benefit payments.
Understanding the Benefits (Pub. 05-10024)
A plain-language overview of how Social Security works.
Retirement Benefits (Pub. 05-10035)
How retirement benefits are figured and when to claim.
Disability Benefits (Pub. 05-10029)
Eligibility, the application process, and what to expect.
Survivors Benefits (Pub. 05-10084)
Benefits for widows, widowers, and dependents.
Medicare (Pub. 05-10043)
How Medicare works with Social Security.
How Work Affects Your Benefits (Pub. 05-10069)
The earnings test explained with examples.
Supplemental Security Income (Pub. 05-11000)
The SSI program for people with limited income and resources.
What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits (Pub. 05-10077)
Reporting responsibilities once you start receiving benefits.
SSA Publications Library
The complete catalog of SSA fact sheets and guides.
Medicare.gov Home
The official U.S. government site for Medicare.
Medicare & You Handbook
The annual handbook covering all parts of Medicare.
Medicare Costs
Current premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts.
Medicare Enrollment Periods
When to sign up to avoid late-enrollment penalties.
State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP)
Free, local one-on-one Medicare counseling.
Medicare Savings Programs
Help paying Medicare premiums for those with limited income.
CMS Newsroom
Official Medicare and Medicaid policy announcements.
SSA Research, Statistics & Policy Analysis
Data, studies, and the Social Security Bulletin.
Congressional Budget Office: Social Security
Independent budget and policy analysis of the program.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Social Security
Policy research and analysis on Social Security.
National Academy of Social Insurance
Nonpartisan research and education on social insurance.
Center for Retirement Research at Boston College
Academic research on retirement and Social Security.
SSA Annual Statistical Supplement
Comprehensive program statistics published yearly.
SSA Office of the Chief Actuary
Actuarial data, projections, and the trust fund outlook.
Social Security Trustees Report
The annual report on the financial status of the trust funds.
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Analysis of Social Security solvency and reform proposals.
Congress.gov
Track federal legislation, including Social Security bills.
SSA Legislative Bulletins
Summaries of legislation affecting SSA programs.
SSA Office of Legislative Affairs
SSA testimony, reports, and legislative resources.
House Ways and Means Committee
The House committee with jurisdiction over Social Security.
Senate Finance Committee
The Senate committee overseeing Social Security legislation.
GovTrack: Social Security
Independent tracking of bills and voting records.
SSA Office of the Inspector General
Audits, investigations, and fraud reporting.
Social Security Advisory Board
An independent, bipartisan board advising on SSA policy.