Jane Yamamoto-Burigsay
Courtesy: Social Security Administration
Tax season is in full swing and we have made replacing your annual Benefit Statement even easier. www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount The Benefit Statement, also known as the SSA-1099 or the SSA-1042S, is a tax form that we mail each January to people who receive Social Security benefits. It shows the total amount of benefits you received from us in the previous year so you know how much Social Security income to report to the Internal Revenue Service on your tax return.
If you live in the United States and need a replacement form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, simply go online to www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount and get an instant, printable replacement form using your personal my Social Security account. A replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S is available for the previous tax year after Feb. 1.
If you already have a my Social Security account, you can log in to your account to view and print your SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S. If you don’t have access to a printer, you can save the document to your computer or email it to yourself. If you don’t have a my Social Security account, creating one is very easy to do and usually takes less than 10 minutes.
If you are a non-citizen who lives outside of the United States and received or repaid Social Security benefits last year, we will send you form SSA-1042S in the mail. The SSA-1099 and SSA-1042S forms are not available for people who receive Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, benefits.
With a personal my Social Security account, you can do much of your business with us online. If you receive benefits or have Medicare, your personal my Social Security account is also the best way to:
• Request a replacement Social Security number card (in most states and the District of Columbia);
• Get your benefit verification letter;
• Check your benefit and payment information;
• Change your address and phone number;
• Change your direct deposit information;
• Request a replacement Medicare card; and/or
• Report your wages if you work and receive Social Security disability insurance or SSI benefits.
Visit www.socialsecurity.gov to learn more about our online services.
apply online for medicare
Did you know that you can apply online for Medicare, even if you are not yet ready to retire? We can help you make an informed decision about when to apply for benefits based on your individual and family circumstances. Applying online can take less than 10 minutes. There are no forms to sign and usually no required documentation. We’ll process your application and contact you if we need more information.
Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/benefits/medicare to begin. There, you can apply for Medicare and find other important information. If you are eligible for Medicare at age 65, your initial enrollment period begins three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after that birthday.
Some Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. To qualify for Extra Help, a person must be receiving Medicare, have limited resources and income, and reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. For more information on Extra Help, read www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10525.pdf.
You may also be interested in reading these publications:
• Apply Online for Medicare — Even If You Are Not Ready to Retire www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10530.pdf.
• When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10147.pdf.
Helping a friend or a family member with this information can improve the quality of their life, so share these resources with someone you love today.
Jane Burigsay is Social Security’s public affairs specialist for Hawai‘i.
