Want to see how much your Social Security checks will be when you retire? Try the government’s updated online tool

Navigating a massive bureaucracy like the Social Security Administration can seem daunting, but the federal government is offering a new way for 97 million Americans who already have online accounts to do so.

The changes, made in late August, also could benefit the more than 300 million Americans with active Social Security numbers, who can create an account and access freshly updated features on www.ssa.gov.

Say, for example, you lost your Social Security card and want a physical copy. You can now order a free replacement card online at any time of the day or night.

Or you’re wondering how big your Social Security checks might be when you decide you want to start receiving them — even if that’s decades in the future. You can find out through the administration’s retirement calculator, which instantly creates a chart with your projected monthly retirement benefits at age 62, 67 or 70, whenever you decide to start collecting payments.

To create a “my Social Security” account, you’ll need to complete a few tasks, such as taking a photo of your driver license or passport, taking a photo of yourself and following the online prompts. Once you do, the administration says many users will be able to avoid a trip to one of the administration’s physical offices and do their business online. That includes:

Requesting that a new Social Security card be mailed to you.Using the retirement calculator.Viewing the status of your claims.Viewing your Social Security statement online, with age-based and earnings-based fact sheets.Accessing your form SSA-1099.

The administration also says it now allows round-the-clock access to other features, including:

Viewing your benefits and payment information.Viewing your voluntary tax withholding information.Viewing your direct deposit information.

To create an account and see the full list of features available online, visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

— Reporter Aimee Green covers politics, personal finance and issues that matter to consumers. She can be reached at 503-294-5119, agreen@oregonian.com or on Bluesky.

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