Social Security, Medicare.gov and the IRS all ask you to prove who you are through Login.gov or ID.me. Here is what each one needs, where people get stuck, and what to do instead, in the services' own words. PJ, a local in Solana Beach, can sit down and do it with you in Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cardiff and Encinitas. You type the passwords.
Login.gov: what you need
- A U.S. driver's license, state ID or passport, your Social Security number, and a U.S. phone number or mailing address.
- You take photos of your ID, and sometimes a selfie. Trouble with the photos? Login.gov says you may be able to verify in person at a U.S. Post Office.
- It sends a one-time code to your phone. If that doesn't work, it may verify your address by mail instead.
Source: Login.gov, verify your identity.
Login.gov: set up two ways to sign in
- Login.gov requires at least one extra sign-in step and encourages two, so losing a phone doesn't lock you out.
- This matters: Login.gov says it can't give you access if you're locked out. You'd have to delete the account and start over.
- The choices: face or touch unlock, an authentication app, a security key, phone/text, backup codes, or a government employee ID. Face or touch unlock, security keys and government IDs are the hardest for scammers to steal. Don't make backup codes your only method.
Source: Login.gov, authentication methods.
The code isn't arriving
- Wait up to 10 minutes, then use the Resend code button. Only the newest code works.
- Make sure the phone is on and airplane mode is off.
- On a landline? Choose a phone call instead of a text. If you can't answer, the code goes to voicemail.
- Codes can't go to a number with an extension.
- On an iPhone? A message filter can hide codes from unknown numbers in a separate folder: where to find them and how to let codes through.
Source: Login.gov, issues with text or phone call.
"My account is locked"
- Too many password or code tries: wait 10 minutes and try again.
- Locked while proving your identity: wait six hours, go back to the agency's site, and sign in with the same email and password. Don't create a new account. Make sure your ID photos are clear and readable.
Source: Login.gov, why is my account locked.
Codes you didn't ask for, and a new phone number
- Getting codes you didn't request? Someone may have typed your number by mistake, or a family member uses your phone. Nobody can sign in without the code, so don't share it. Login.gov says to sign in, change your password and check your sign-in methods.
- Getting a new phone number? Sign in and add the new number before the old one is gone, then make it the default. Login.gov says not to use internet (VoIP) phone numbers.
Sources: Login.gov, codes you didn't request · change your phone number.
Login.gov and Social Security
- Login.gov only handles signing in. It has nothing on your Social Security number, card or benefits.
- Made a Social Security username more than 3 years ago? You need to move to a Login.gov account to keep using SSA online.
- Benefit, card or number questions go to Social Security: 1-800-772-1213, 8am to 7pm Monday through Friday (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Source: Login.gov, Social Security.
Lost the phone that gets your codes?
- Google account: Google says to sign out of the lost phone and change the password, then verify with another phone signed in to the account, another number you added for 2-Step Verification, a saved backup code, a security key, or a passkey on another device.
- None of those? Use Google's account recovery. Google says wrong guesses won't kick you out, and there's no limit on tries.
- Login.gov: it can't restore a locked-out account, which is why the second sign-in method above matters.
Sources: Google, lost or stolen phone · account recovery.
The IRS online account
Your IRS online account shows your balance, payments and tax records. The IRS says new users should have photo identification ready; identity checks happen on the sign-in page. (IRS: online account)
ID.me: what you need
- ID.me says most people confirm online with just one government-issued photo ID.
- If you end up on a video call with an agent, you need two primary documents (driver's license, passport or other government photo ID) or one primary and one secondary (Social Security card, utility bill or vehicle registration).
Source: ID.me Help Center, primary and secondary documents.
The one rule about codes
Never read a texted code to anyone who calls you. Those codes are how you prove it's you. A caller asking for one is trying to get into your account. Hang up, then call the agency back on its own number. Who to call about a scam: here. A caller using a family member's voice? The family safe word.
PJ does it with you
PJ sits down at your computer or phone, walks through Login.gov or ID.me with you, sets up a second sign-in method, and leaves a note of which email and which method you used. You type every password; he never keeps them. Family Assist, $30 an hour.
More: Medicare plan worksheet · help with other sites · set up an iPhone for a parent.
Need a human?
This page is built every morning from public data by SideGuy, run by PJ, a local in Solana Beach. If something looks off, or you want a hand with your plans, text PJ at 858-461-8054. A real person answers.
Local help, free to read: make your fix plan · senior benefits checkup · lower your SDG&E bill · Medicare Extra Help · every 2027 Medicare plan · is my medication recalled? · the next 90 days. Plans start as low as $25. Your parent lives here and you don't? The Parent Check-In Plan, $25 a month.
Questions people ask
What do I need to verify my identity with Login.gov?
A U.S. driver's license, state ID or passport, your Social Security number, and a U.S. phone number or mailing address, per Login.gov. You take photos of your ID and sometimes a selfie.
Can I verify Login.gov in person?
Login.gov says that if you have trouble taking the photos, you may be able to verify in person at a U.S. Post Office.
What if I lose my phone and can't get into Login.gov?
Login.gov says it can't restore access to a locked-out account; you'd have to delete it and start over. That's why it encourages setting up two sign-in methods.
Why isn't my Login.gov code arriving?
Login.gov says to wait up to 10 minutes, then resend; check the phone is on and airplane mode is off; on a landline, choose a phone call instead. Only the newest code works.
Why is Login.gov not working with Social Security?
If you made a Social Security username more than 3 years ago, you have to move to a Login.gov account. Locked during identity checks? Wait six hours and sign in with the same account; don't create a new one.
What documents does ID.me need?
ID.me says most people verify online with one government photo ID. A video call needs two primary documents, or one primary and one secondary such as a Social Security card or utility bill.
Should I give a verification code to someone who calls me?
No. A caller asking for a code that was just texted to you is trying to get into your account. Hang up and call the agency on its own number.
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