Social Security Administration Unveils New SSA.gov Website
Improved self-service capabilities should allow people to skip calling or visiting an office, the acting commissioner says.
Kilolo Kijakazi, acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration, announced Tuesday morning that her agency has redesigned its public website, SSA.gov, which serves more than 180 million people annually.
In a statement published on the SSA’s internal blog, Kijakazi said the goal of the update was to help people understand what benefit amount they may qualify for and to help “seamlessly transition them to an application process.”
According to the statement, the new SSA.gov’s improved self-service capabilities allow people to skip calling or visiting an office, which helps Social Security staff focus on those visitors who need in-person assistance. Many of the most visited sections of SSA.gov are now live, featuring a more user-friendly and task-based approach.
New pages and improvements based on public feedback will continue to be unveiled in the coming months, according to Kijakazi.
On the updated website, users can check for benefits eligibility as well as request a new Social Security card. Individuals can also start an application for an updated card or request a Social Security number for the first time.
According to the statement from Kijakazi, workers may now never need to visit an office to address their issues. If they do need to visit an office to complete their application, they will save a lot of time by starting online.
The revamped portal also includes a retirement calculator and links to information about other online services. The agency encourages people without a my Social Security account to create one on its website.