No matter where in the United States you live, your Social Security retirement, disability, family or survivor benefits do not change. Along with the 50 states, that includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
But not all states treat benefits the same way. Nine states levy a tax on Social Security benefits: Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Utah and West Virginia.
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The tax rates and exemptions vary by state, and West Virginia is phasing out taxation of benefits (it will end for all state residents with the 2026 tax year). Contact your state tax agency for details.
In any case, you should notify Social Security of your change of address. Go to the “My Profile” tab on your online My Social Security account or call 800-772-1213.
Moving could affect your payments if you are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a benefit for people who are age 65 or older, blind or have a disability and have very limited income and assets. SSI is administered but not funded by the Social Security Administration. Most states supplement SSI payments from their own coffers, but those supplements differ from state to state.
In addition, SSI is not available in Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld this territorial exclusion in an April 2022 decision in a case brought by an SSI recipient who lost his benefits after moving from New York to Puerto Rico.
Andy Markowitz is a writer and editor for AARP, covering Social Security and fraud. He is a former editor of The Prague Post and Baltimore City Paper.
Tracy Thompson is a journalist and editor who has worked for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Washington Post. She is the author of three books and lives with her family in the Washington, D.C., suburbs.
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