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Application walkthrough

Applying for Extra Help with Form SSA-1020

You apply for Extra Help directly with Social Security — it’s free, and there’s no need to pay anyone. You can apply online or by paper. This page walks through both, and it’s built to print cleanly so you can use it as a checklist at the kitchen table.

What to have on hand

  • Your Medicare card (or your Medicare number)
  • Your Social Security number
  • Recent statements of income — Social Security, pensions, wages
  • Account balances — checking, savings, stocks, bonds
  • Your spouse's information, if you're married and living together

You do not need to send documents with the application. Social Security may ask for proof later.

Apply online

About 20–30 minutes

The fastest way. You can save and come back. Most people get a decision in a few weeks.

Start the online application

Apply by mail

Best if you prefer paper

Download Form SSA-1020, fill it in, and mail it to Social Security. You can also call SSA to request a paper form.

Get the paper form (SSA-1020)

Step by step

  1. 1

    Your information

    Name, Social Security number, date of birth, and Medicare information. If you’re married and living with your spouse, you’ll add their details too — the income and resource limits for couples are higher.

  2. 2

    Income

    Report monthly income for you (and your spouse, if applicable): Social Security, pensions, wages, and other income. Social Security applies a $20 general income disregard and additional rules for wages — see what counts as income.

  3. 3

    Resources

    Report bank balances, stocks, bonds, and real estate other than your home. Your home and one vehicle do not count. If you expect to use some savings for burial expenses, say so — it raises your limit by $1,500 per person.

  4. 4

    Sign and submit

    Online, you submit electronically. By mail, sign and date the form and mail it to the address printed on it. Keep a copy for your records.

  5. 5

    What happens next

    Social Security reviews your application and mails a decision, usually within a few weeks. If approved, your Extra Help typically begins the month after you’re found eligible, and you can join or switch to a Part D plan. If you disagree with a decision, you have the right to appeal — see the yearly review & appeals.

Sample answers (for reference only)

These are made-up figures to show the kind of answers the form expects — never copy them; use your own.

Applicant
Pat Q. Public (sample)
Marital status
Single
Social Security income
$1,250 / month
Pension
$300 / month
Savings + checking
$4,500
Expects burial expenses
Yes

Independent benefits-counselor review in progress

We are recruiting a SHIP-certified benefits counselor or licensed Medicare advisor to review this content. Until then, every figure is cited to its primary CMS/SSA source with a last-verified date so you can check it yourself. We will not display a reviewer we don’t have.

Sources for this page