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YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY | Davenport, Iowa Office

By Linda Clayton-Powell
Social Security District Manager
Davenport, Iowa

WHY IT PAYS TO KEEP A CAREFUL EYE ON YOUR EARNINGS RECORD

Whether you’re ready to retire, just joining the workforce, or somewhere in between, regularly reviewing your Social Security earnings record could make a big difference when it’s time to collect your retirement benefits.

Just think, in some situations, if an employer did not properly report just one year of your work earnings to us, your future benefit payments from Social Security could be close to $100 per month less than they should be. Over the course of a lifetime, that could cost you tens of thousands of dollars in retirement or other benefits to which you are entitled.

Social Security prevents many mistakes from ever appearing on your earnings record. On average, we process about 236 million W-2 wage reports from employers, representing more than $5 trillion in earnings. More than 98 percent of these wages are successfully posted with little problem.

But it’s ultimately the responsibility of your employers — past and present — to provide accurate earnings information to Social Security so you get credit for the contributions you’ve made through payroll taxes. We rely on you to inform us of any errors or omissions. You’re the only person who can look at your lifetime earnings record and verify that it’s
complete and correct.

So, what’s the easiest and most efficient way to validate your earnings record?

• Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount to set up or sign in to your own my Social Security account;
• Under the “My Home” tab, click on “Earnings Record” to view your online Social Security Statement and taxed Social Security earnings;
• Carefully review each year of listed earnings and use your own records, such as W-2s and tax returns, to confirm them; and
• Keep in mind that earnings from this year and last year may not be listed yet.

If you notice that you need to correct your earnings record, check out our one-page fact sheet at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10081.pdf.

Sooner is definitely better when it comes to identifying and reporting problems with your earnings record. As time passes, you may no longer have past tax documents and some employers may no longer be in business or able to provide past payroll information.

If it turns out everything in your earnings record is correct, you can use the information and our online calculators at www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/benefitcalculators.html to plan for your retirement and prepare for the unexpected, such as becoming disabled or leaving behind survivors. We use your top 35 years of earnings when we calculate your benefit amounts. You can learn more about how your benefit amount is calculated at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10070.pdf.

We’re with you throughout life’s journey, from starting your first job to receiving your well-earned first retirement payment.  Learn more about the services we provide online at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

IT’S MORE CONVENIENT THAN EVER TO APPLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

You’ve worked hard your whole life, and receiving your Social Security benefits should be the icing on the cake at your retirement party. We’re working hard to make it as quick and seamless as possible for you to apply for benefits from Social Security.

Simply visit www.socialsecurity.gov/applyforbenefits to get started. Through our safe and secure website, you can apply for:

• Retirement benefits;
• Spousal benefits;
• Medicare;
• Disability benefits;
• Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs; and, in some cases,
• Supplemental Security Income.

You don’t have to be internet savvy to finish most of our online applications in one sitting with your computer. Or, if you prefer, we offer you the options to apply in person at your Social Security office or by telephone with one of our application representatives. Please call 1-800-772-1213 from
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays to schedule an appointment.

You should also call us to schedule an appointment if you wish to apply for certain family benefits, including those for surviving spouses and children, divorced spouses and dependent children, and parents of beneficiaries.

After you’ve applied for benefits — whether online, by phone, or in person — you can securely and quickly check the status of a pending claim through your online my Social Security account. If you haven’t created your account yet, you can do so today by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

You can also use my Social Security to view estimates of how much you would receive in retirement benefits and potential disability benefits and how much your loved ones could receive in family or survivor benefits.

We’re with you throughout life’s journey, from applying for your first job to receiving your first retirement payment. And we’re proud to help ensure a secure future for you and your loved ones.

To learn more about our programs and online services, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov.