The Social Security Administration only mails paper Social Security Statements to a small group of people. Here’s who gets one in the mail — and how everyone else can get theirs.
As of October 25, 2026SSA mails a paper statement only when all three of these are true:
Statements begin arriving around the 60th birthday.
Once benefits start, the annual statement mailings stop.
People who have created an account at ssa.gov/myaccount view their statement online instead.
Each statement is timed to land about three months before the birthday.
After the first statement, one is mailed annually, roughly three months before the birthday, for as long as the person continues to meet the criteria above.
People under age 60 do not receive automatic paper statements — this has been the case since March 2011. To get a statement, they must choose one of the two options below.
Immediate online access to your statement, earnings record, and benefit estimates — anytime.
Mail SSA’s official Request for Social Security Statement and a paper copy is sent to you.
You can request a paper Social Security statement using Form SSA-7004, the Social Security Administration’s official Request for Social Security Statement. Download the form or request one by phone.
Since March 2011, people under age 60 no longer receive automatic paper statements.
The current paper statement policy has been in place since January 2017.
Bottom line: SSA strongly encourages everyone to create a my Social Security account for faster, anytime access to their earnings record and benefit estimates.