If you've recently moved to a new address, chances are some of your former neighbors and friends from the community asked you to be sure to keep in touch. If you receive Social Security benefits, we'd like you to keep in touch too. In fact, you need to let us know about your new address. Even if you receive your payments by direct deposit, Social Security needs your current mailing address so you can continue to receive important notices about changes in benefits.

Don't worry; changing your address with Social Security can be as convenient and easy as logging on to your computer. Just go to www.socialsecurity.gov and select the "What You Can Do Online" link in the top left corner. The fourth item down is "If you get benefits." That's where you'll want to go. Then select "Change your address or telephone number."

Once there, the web page will tell you exactly what you need to do to change your address with Social Security. You'll need to provide your new address, including your postal ZIP code. (If you don't know your Zip code, the page includes a directory where you can locate it easily by entering your street address.)

If more than one person receives benefits at an address (such as a husband and wife), each person has to make the address change.

If you have a password with Social Security, that is all the information you will need to provide. But remember: you don't need a password to change your address or phone number. You just have to prove to Social Security who you are by providing certain identifying information.

It's that easy. Once your address is changed, you know you'll continue to receive important notices from Social Security when needed, such as letters telling you about changes in benefit amounts.

While you're on our Web site, you may want to check out some of the other things you can do online, such as changing direct deposit information, getting a proof of income letter, or requesting a replacement Medicare card.

Visit www.socialsecurity.gov to learn all there is to know about Social Security.

Daniel Bowline is district manager for the Social Security Administration in Lufkin.