You will need to furnish proof of your age, your beneficiary's age if you've elected a survivor option, and proof of any insurance dependent's age. Photocopies are fine. Acceptable proofs, in order of preference, are shown here.

Preferred Proof of Age

The record must include your date of birth or age. Photocopies are acceptable.

• Birth certificate.
• Hospital birth record.
• Church baptismal record established during the first few years of your life.
• Passport.
• Delayed birth certificate.
• Social security documentation. If none of the above is available and you have applied for a social security benefit and documented your date of birth, a statement from the Social Security Administration is sufficient. This statement must include your date of birth and explain that you have filed sufficient documentation to establish your date of birth.

Alternate Proof of Age 

If you have not applied for social security benefits, photocopies of at least two of the following documents may be used. The documents should include your date of birth (or age) and the date the document was recorded. Records established early in life are preferred.

• School record.
• Church record.
• State or federal census record. 
• Statement signed by physician or midwife who attended the birth.
• Family bible or other family record.
• Insurance policy. 
• Marriage record. 
• Employment record. 
• Military record.
• Child's birth certificate that shows age of parent.
• Other records such as a hospital treatment record, labor union or fraternal record, permits, licenses, voting or registration records, or poll tax receipts.

Foreign Birth

If you were born in a foreign country, you may provide any of the items listed above or one of the following:

• Foreign passport.
• Immigration record established upon arrival in the United States.
• Naturalization record (citizenship paper).
• Alien registration card.