04 · Accounts
Secure your government accounts
Set up and protect your U.S. Social Security and IRS accounts. Decide whether USPS mail previews and an IRS Identity Protection PIN are useful to you.
Why it matters
You can use official accounts to check your Social Security earnings record, view your federal tax information and see previews of some incoming mail. Start with the service you use most. The steps below are for U.S. services.
The steps
Start from the agency website
On a device you trust, open the agency page linked below and save it as a bookmark. If you already have an account, use its sign-in or recovery process. If you’re helping someone, let them enter their own personal information and keep control of their sign-in.
When offered, choose a passkey, security key or authenticator app you can reliably use. Set up a backup sign-in method and store recovery codes securely when the provider offers them. Use a unique password if the service requires one. Set up a password manager · Protect your email with two-step sign-in
Check your Social Security record
Start at my Social Security. SSA offers Login.gov and ID.me for sign-in. Follow SSA’s prompts to verify your identity, then check your earnings record for years that look wrong or are missing. Contact SSA through its website if you need to correct the record or get help creating your account. SSA account help
Set up your IRS Online Account
Start at the IRS Individual Online Account. Follow the IRS link to sign in with ID.me. If you’re setting up access, follow the identity checks shown there. The IRS describes both self-service and video chat options. Once you’re signed in, look over any notices and activity available in your account. IRS sign-in and verification help
Decide whether you want USPS mail previews
Check your address and sign up through USPS Informed Delivery. Where available, the service can show images of the address side of some incoming letter mail. Turn on multifactor authentication for your USPS account. If you use email notifications, send them to an inbox you control. A preview can arrive before the item is delivered, so allow time before treating a missing item as a problem. USPS eligibility and delivery FAQs
Consider an IRS Identity Protection PIN
An IP PIN is a six-digit code that helps prevent someone from filing a federal tax return using your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Once you have an IP PIN, you’ll need the current code when you file. The IRS issues a new code each calendar year for people who stay enrolled. Keep it private until you’re ready to file, then enter it in your tax software or give it to your trusted tax preparer. Check the IRS instructions for enrollment and how to retrieve your PIN before opting in. Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN
If something looks wrong
Use your bookmark or the agency page to investigate an unfamiliar notice or account change. If someone has used your identity, follow the identity-theft steps on the Emergency page.
You’re done when
You can sign back in to the services you chose, know how to recover access and have checked the records you came to review. If you enrolled for an IP PIN, add a reminder to retrieve the current one before filing.
Sources and review
Reviewed November 9, 2026. The agency pages linked above describe enrollment, identity verification and recovery.
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