Social Security beneficiaries are learning about new benefit verification letters the agency is making available. These new letters are a response to recommendations made to the agency of how to improve these letters. These letters are very important for beneficiaries. Many times beneficiaries rely on these verification letters to show proof of income for loans, housing assistance, mortgages and other types of services. Below is Social Security’s announcement about the new verification letters.
The Social Security Administration held discussions with stakeholders on ways to improve our Benefit Verification letters. We listened to those recommendations and are excited to release a new and improved letter. Soon, when a person requests a Benefit Verification letter, we will provide a standardized letter, whether they call asking us to mail the letter or get their letter using their personal my Social Security account. We will roll out the new Benefit Verification letters between July and September.
The new Benefit Verification letter includes additional identifiers in addition to name, date of birth, and the benefits received, if any. Clients receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits can use their letter as proof of income for loans, housing assistance, mortgage, and other verification purposes. Individual representative payees can also use the new Representative Payee Portal with their own my Social Security account to see and print a current benefit verification letter online for themselves or their beneficiaries. Non-beneficiaries may request proof they do not receive benefits, or proof that benefits are pending, in the same standardized letter.
Social Security has been rolling out the new letters since July and will continue to do so through September of 2020. Anyone needing an income verification letter should go to ssa.gov or contact their locaal Social Security office if they are unable access online services.
