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Cancel your benefits application

Cancel or withdraw your application up to 12 months after your benefit approval. You can only cancel your application once and can reapply later.

If you’ve begun receiving payments, you will have to repay the money you and your family received, as well as money we withheld for Medicare premiums, taxes, and garnishments. If any medical expenses were covered by Medicare Part A during this time, those will need to be repaid to Medicare as well.

Other ways to complete this task

Mail us a request to cancel your application

Download Form 521: Request for Withdrawal of Application (PDF). Then, find the Social Security office closest to your home and mail us the completed form.

For support completing this task

Call us

Available in most U.S. time zones Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., in English, Spanish, and other languages.

Tell the representative you want to cancel your benefits application.

Call TTY +1 800-325-0778 if you're deaf or hard of hearing.