The Social Security Administration will charge $79 for certified yearly earnings totals on requests it receives on or after October 1, 2026, down from $96 under the schedule it set in 2024. The change appears in a Federal Register notice published September 21, which lowers the base charge for Form SSA-7050 earnings information from $61 to $49 and the certification add-on from $35 to $30. The notice is signed by Mark Steffensen, SSA’s general counsel.
The fee applies only to earnings information requested for purposes not directly related to running a Social Security program. Uncertified yearly earnings totals remain free through an online my Social Security account, and SSA says nothing in the notice changes how benefits are calculated or paid.
How the new $79 total is built
SSA sells detailed yearly earnings information through Form SSA-7050, Request for Social Security Earning Information. Under the new schedule, the agency charges $49 for each SSA-7050 request and will certify the detailed earnings information for an additional $30. Together, the two charges come to $79 for a certified set of yearly figures. Detailed earnings information includes the names and addresses of employers, which is one reason it is sometimes requested for pension claims, legal matters, or employment verification outside the Social Security system.
The prior schedule, published in the Federal Register on August 23, 2024, set the same request at $61 plus $35 for certification. That notice stated the total directly: certified yearly earnings totals cost $96. The new combined price is $17 lower, a cut of roughly 18 percent. SSA said the update is based on its most recent cost analysis and that it is required to review the standard fees at least every two years under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-25 on user charges.
From earnings history to a claiming date. Verified yearly earnings feed directly into the monthly benefit, and the age chosen to claim it locks in a different amount for life. The six-tab calculator for claiming age, break-even and survivor benefits lays those choices side by side in The Social Security Claiming & Family Benefits Kit.
Other fees that fall, and two that rise
The earnings statement is not the only item on the revised list. Several charges that individuals commonly encounter also drop on October 1. A copy of an original Form SS-5, the application for a Social Security card, falls from $27 to $23. A copy of a Numident record, the computer extract of the SS-5, falls from $26 to $22. A record extract processed in a field office rises from $41 to $46, and the field-office, regional-office, or headquarters certification charge moves from $82 to $65.
Not everything is cheaper. Copying a paper folder climbs from $122 to $151, and a third-party manual Social Security number verification increases from $61 to $74. Copying an electronic folder drops from $82 to $75. W-2 and W-3 copies are now priced at $54 for each form requested, and a central processing certification is listed at $30. SSA notes that actual fees can differ depending on whether redactions or special services are needed.
The free route still covers most personal checks
The notice itself points people to the no-cost option. Non-certified yearly earnings totals can still be obtained with Form SSA-7004, Request for Social Security Statement, or through a my Social Security account. Online Social Security Statements display uncertified yearly earnings free of charge, though they do not show employer names or addresses.
For an older worker preparing to claim benefits, that free statement is usually the first place to look. Social Security retirement benefits are calculated from a worker’s highest 35 years of indexed covered earnings, so a missing year or an understated wage can lower the monthly payment permanently. SSA’s earnings review guidance explains how to compare the statement against W-2 forms, pay stubs, or tax returns and how to ask the agency to correct an error. That correction process is part of program administration and is not subject to the new fee schedule.
The certified version becomes relevant mainly when a third party, such as a court, a private pension plan, or another government agency, specifically asks for a document bearing SSA’s certification or listing employers. In those cases, the October 1 schedule means the request will cost less than it did over the past two years.
Payment rules and timing
The new prices apply according to when SSA receives a request, not when it was mailed or signed. A request that reaches the agency on September 30 falls under the 2024 schedule, and one that arrives October 1 or later is billed at the lower rate. SSA requires nonrefundable payment in advance and accepts checks, money orders, or credit cards, but not cash. The agency will take only one form of payment for the full amount of each standard fee and will not split a fee between two payment methods.
For requests that fall outside the published list, SSA says it will keep calculating charges on a case-by-case basis. The agency also said that if it revises any of these standard fees again, it will publish another notice in the Federal Register. Questions about the fee schedule go to Stephen Hull in SSA’s accounting office in Baltimore, according to the notice, while questions about eligibility or filing for benefits are handled through ssa.gov or the national toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213.
What the change means for retirement planning
The lower price is a modest saving for households that need certified figures, but the broader value lies in checking the numbers well before filing. Errors in the earnings history are easier to fix while former employers can still be reached and pay stubs, W-2 forms, and tax returns are still on hand to support a correction request.
Once the earnings history looks complete, the remaining decisions are about timing. Claiming at 62, at full retirement age, or as late as 70 changes the monthly amount for life, and for married couples the higher earner’s choice also affects the survivor benefit a widow or widower may later receive. The fee notice does not touch any of those rules. Full retirement age, the benefit formula, the retirement earnings test, and the application process all remain as they were before October 1.
In short, SSA is charging less for a specialized document, the free online statement remains available, and the underlying rules for calculating and claiming benefits are unchanged. For most people approaching retirement, reviewing the free statement and correcting any mistakes will matter far more than the fee change itself.
After the earnings history checks out
A clean earnings history settles the input to the benefit formula, yet it leaves open the question of when to claim and how a spouse’s or survivor’s benefit fits around that choice.
The Social Security Claiming & Family Benefits Kit includes spousal and survivor sequencing worksheets, the 2026 earnings-test rules, and a large-print quick start, organized around the claiming-age comparison.
Work through the timing questions with The Social Security Claiming & Family Benefits Kit.
This article was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed against the linked official sources.
