If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, certain life changes must be reported to the Social Security Administration. These changes can include getting married or divorced, becoming the parent of a child, returning to work, or changing your living arrangements.
But why does Social Security require beneficiaries to report these changes? In this article, we’ll explain SSDI reporting requirements, why reporting changes is important, and how to report a change to Social Security.
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In this article about SSDI reporting requirements:
Key Takeaways
- SSDI beneficiaries must report certain life changes to Social Security. Changes involving work activity, income, family status, medical condition, address, citizenship, and legal status may affect your benefits and should be reported promptly.
- Failing to report a required change can lead to overpayments or benefit interruptions, and in some cases, Social Security may suspend or terminate benefits if important information is not reported.
- You can report changes to Social Security online, by phone, by mail, or in person. Keeping your information current helps ensure you receive the correct benefit amount and avoid problems with your SSDI claim.
Why SSDI beneficiaries must report changes to Social Security
The Social Security Administration (SSA) requires beneficiaries to report certain life changes to help ensure they receive the correct monthly benefit amount.
In some cases, reporting a change could result in additional benefits for you or your family. In others, failing to report a change could lead to an overpayment that must later be repaid to the SSA.
Some life changes can also affect your eligibility for SSDI benefits. By reporting changes promptly, you help the agency maintain accurate records and determine whether you continue to meet the requirements for benefits.
SSDI reporting requirements: Changes you must report to Social Security
Certain life events and changes in circumstances can affect your eligibility for benefits or the amount you receive. To help ensure you receive the correct benefit amount and avoid overpayments or interruptions in benefits, SSDI beneficiaries must report changes to the SSA, including:
- A change of address
- A change in citizenship or immigration status
- The beneficiary dies or becomes unable to manage their benefits
- A change in marital status
- You return to work in any capacity
- Your medical condition improves
- You have a new child
The sections below explain these reporting requirements in more detail.
Employment and income changes
You must report any changes to your work activity, earnings, or other sources of income. This includes starting or leaving a job, changes to your pay or work hours, and other changes that affect your ability to work.
You must also report income from:
- Working wages you make more than $1,210 a month, before taxes
- Workers’ compensation or other public disability benefits
- Sick pay
- Vacation pay
- Pensions or lump-sum payments from employment not covered by Social Security
- Changes to pension or annuity payments
- Lump-sum payments
Personal information changes
If you move, you should report your new address and any changes to your phone number to Social Security as soon as possible. You should also notify the SSA if any family members who receive your benefits are moving with you.
Keeping your contact information current helps ensure that you receive important notices and other correspondence from Social Security. If the SSA cannot reach you, your benefits may be suspended.
You should also report any legal name change resulting from marriage, divorce, or a court order.
If you receive benefits through direct deposit, a mismatch between the name tied to your bank account and SSA records could delay payment. If you receive paper checks, you may have difficulty cashing them if the name on your identification does not match the name on the check.
Travel and citizenship
If you plan to be outside the United States for 30 days or more at a time, you should notify Social Security before you leave. Be prepared to provide the date you plan to depart and the name of the country or countries you will be visiting.
Non-citizens must provide documentation showing they are in the United States legally to continue receiving benefits.
If your immigration status changes, expires, or is renewed, you should provide the SSA with updated documentation. Likewise, if you become a U.S. citizen, you should report this to Social Security as soon as possible.
Family changes
Adding a child to your family, whether through birth or adoption, is an exciting milestone, but it may also affect your SSDI benefits.
If you become a parent while receiving disability benefits, you should notify the SSA. Social Security may determine that your child qualifies for additional family benefits based on your earnings record.
Changes in a child’s living arrangements should also be reported. If you receive benefits because you care for a disabled worker’s child who is under age 16 or disabled themselves, you must notify the SSA if the child leaves your care. You may also be asked to provide the name and address of the person with whom the child is now living.
If a child who receives Social Security benefits is adopted, you must report the child’s new name, the date of the adoption decree, and the names and addresses of the adoptive parents. Adoption will not cause a child who is receiving disability benefits to lose those benefits.
Marriage and divorce
Marriage and divorce can also affect Social Security benefits in certain situations. If your marital status changes, you should report it to the SSA as soon as possible. The chart below explains how marriage or divorce may affect your benefits.
Medical changes
The SSA periodically conducts continuing disability reviews (CDRs) to verify beneficiaries still meet the medical requirements for benefits. Reporting improvements in your condition helps ensure that your records remain accurate and that Social Security has the information it needs when conducting these reviews.
Legal issues
Certain legal issues can affect your eligibility for SSDI benefits and should be reported to the SSA as soon as possible.
You may not be eligible to receive your disability benefits if you have an outstanding warrant for certain types of felonies, such as:
- Flight to avoid prosecution or confinement
- Escape from custody
- Flight-escape
If you have an outstanding warrant for one of these offenses, you should notify the SSA promptly. You should also report any incarceration to Social Security. In most cases, SSDI benefits cannot be paid while you are confined in a correctional or penal facility following a conviction.
Changes affecting benefit management
Some beneficiaries may eventually need help managing their benefits. If you become unable to manage your own finances, Social Security should be notified as soon as possible.
The death of a beneficiary must also be reported to Social Security immediately. Because benefits are not payable for the month of death, any payment received for that month generally must be returned.
What happens if I don’t report a change to Social Security?
Failing to report a required change to the SSA can have serious consequences. Depending on the situation, your benefits could be reduced, suspended, or even terminated.
You may also receive an overpayment if the SSA pays you more benefits than you were entitled to receive. If that happens, you will generally be required to repay the overpaid amount, which can total thousands of dollars.
Knowingly providing false information to the SSA or withholding certain information from it can result in additional penalties. This can result in benefit suspension and other penalties. For a first violation, benefits may be suspended for six months. A second violation can result in a 12-month suspension, while a third violation can lead to benefits being suspended for 24 months.
How to report a change to Social Security
Fortunately, reporting a change to Social Security is relatively simple. Depending on the type of change, you may be able to report it online, by phone, by mail, or in person at your local Social Security office.
You can report changes in the following ways:
- Log in to your my Social Security account to report eligible changes online
- Call Social Security toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778)
- Schedule an appointment at your local Social Security office
- Mail documentation or information to Social Security when requested
Reporting changes promptly can help prevent benefit interruptions, overpayments, and other issues that could affect your SSDI benefits.
How Woods & Woods can help
Having a disability shouldn’t mean losing your peace of mind. At Woods & Woods, we help individuals with disabilities connect with legal help. If you’re seeking SSDI benefits, call us today for a free case evaluation.
Don’t face Social Security alone.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. SSDI beneficiaries should report a change of address to Social Security as soon as possible. Keeping your contact information up to date helps ensure you receive important notices about your benefits and can help prevent payment delays or interruptions.
SSDI beneficiaries must report certain life changes to Social Security, including work and income changes, address changes, marital status changes, medical improvements, and changes in citizenship or immigration status.
Lori Underwood
Lori Underwood received her law degree from Northern Kentucky University. She previously practiced Social Security disability and personal injury law and was a juvenile court attorney.
She has been an attorney at
Woods & Woods since 2014.
