My Social Security will be discontinuing log in using your username and pw

[fffred]

Per today's SSA Blog, going forward users must use either an ID.me or a login.gov to log into their SSA account You can still use your username and password for "awhile". And the blog says there are helpful instructions once you log in to set up a new login.gov account (if you already have a login.gov account there's no need to create a new one).

See the press release here (https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/releases/2024/#7-2024-1) and the blog here (https://blog.ssa.gov/changes-are-coming-to-how-you-access-social-securitys-online-services/)  (better yet, just Google for this information so you are sure the links are safe. Best practice)

I have all three login methods but nowadays I just use ID.me (a private concern). Some time back there were various issues with login.gov on SSA but they seem to be resolved now.

I didn't like ID.me because it sent me to a "junk" page where they try to sell stuff. But I eventually realized you can configure things so you don't get sent there.

Unless they are changing things, the way it works is you go to log into your SSA account, then select option to log in via ID.me or login.gov, then you're temporarily sent to whichever site and you log in then you're sent back  to the My Social Security. It's all pretty simple and seamless.

Good luck!

Edit:   I mention that I didn't like that "junk" page at ID.me when logging into My Social Security:  so the procedure is I go to the SSA to log into My Social Security, I pick from logging in with my username and pw, or using ID.me, or using login.gov. I pick ID.me, page comes up from SSA that I'll be transferred to another site (ID.me) and then returned to SSA Then ID.me comes up, I log in there and I also use a hardware key as my two factor authentication, when all done they ship me back to My Social Security. What I didn't like, until I realized I could change it, was the landing page at ID.me after the transfer from SSA was on a confusing commercial page where ID.me is yapping about selling me special stuff for government employees, teachers, military, whatever. Very confusing and I didn't like it. But there is a setting in my ID.me profile to get rid of that garbage. Under my profile there's this option below. By default it's set to the "Shop" option (their store). I am much happier now with it changed to "Government", no more garbage.

[WebWiseWoman]

Update: "Urgent: SSA requires account update by December" per MSN 

Basically infers transition to new "log in" required or benefits may be halted.

Not sure if this is true; but to be safe, posting hoping to help others...

[WebWiseWoman]

I just went through the transition; not quite sure why money was spent to do this, especially when we're trying to cut government spending...

Anyway, transition was not easy and required paying attention; done now but nothing appears different when finally getting back to ssa.gov...

WHY WAS THIS NECESSARY?

[WebWiseWoman]

fffred, thank you for this info and especially for the links! GREAT post!

I can almost see a major hack coming for one of these gov sites now that they're trying to be more secure...

Thanks, again; I missed this update and being on myssa for almost 2 decades have become complacent 😉 I'd guess...

[fffred]

They say "We encourage you to make the transition to Login.gov or ID.me now before the username option goes away later this year."