Your Social Security Statement provides important information about your earnings history and future benefits. Here's how to access and understand it.
In this article, we'll cover:
- What the statement includes
- How to access it
- Understanding your earnings record
- Benefit estimates explained
1. What the Statement Includes
Key sections:
- Your earnings history
- Social Security taxes paid
- Estimated retirement benefits
- Estimated disability benefits
- Estimated survivor benefits
Why it matters:
- Plan for retirement
- Verify earnings are correct
- Understand benefit options
- Catch errors early
Who gets a statement:
- Workers age 18+
- Who have paid Social Security taxes
- Available through my Social Security account
- Mailed at 60+ if not online
2. How to Access It
Online (easiest):
- Go to ssa.gov/myaccount
- Create or sign in to account
- Select "View your Social Security Statement"
- Download or view online
By mail:
- Automatically mailed at ages 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60+
- If you don't have online account
- Or request by calling SSA
- 1-800-772-1213
Benefits of online access:
- Available anytime
- Always current
- Can check often
- Catch errors faster
Important: Check your statement regularly. Errors in your earnings record should be corrected as soon as possible.
3. Understanding Your Earnings Record
What it shows:
- Each year you worked
- Earnings that year
- Social Security taxes paid
- Medicare taxes paid
Taxed earnings:
- Only earnings up to maximum count
- 2026 maximum: ~$176,100
- Higher earnings not taxed/credited
- Shows what counted for benefits
Verifying accuracy:
- Compare to your records
- W-2 forms from each year
- Tax returns
- Pay stubs if you have them
If you find an error:
- Contact SSA immediately
- Provide documentation
- Keep copies of everything
- Errors affect benefit amounts
Why errors happen:
- Employer reported incorrectly
- Name/SSN mismatch
- Self-employment not reported
- Multiple jobs not all recorded
4. Benefit Estimates Explained
Retirement benefits:
- At age 62 (reduced)
- At full retirement age
- At age 70 (maximum)
- Based on current earnings pattern
Disability benefits:
- If you became disabled now
- Based on your record
- Requires meeting disability definition
- Estimate only
Survivor benefits:
- For your family if you die
- For spouse and children
- Based on your record
- Important for planning
Important notes:
- Estimates assume continued work
- Actual benefits may differ
- Based on current law
- Could change with future legislation
Work Credits
What they are:
- Measure of work history
- Earn up to 4 per year
- Need 40 for retirement (usually)
- Need 20 recent for SSDI (usually)
Your statement shows:
- Credits you've earned
- If you have enough
- For different benefit types
Why they matter:
- Must have enough credits to qualify
- For retirement, disability, survivor
- Statement tracks your progress
Reading Your Statement
Personalized estimates:
- Based on YOUR earnings
- Specific to your situation
- Valuable planning tool
Assumptions to understand:
- Assumes continued work at current level
- Uses current benefit formulas
- Doesn't account for future changes
- Estimate, not guarantee
Using the information:
- Plan for retirement
- Understand disability protection
- Factor into financial planning
- Identify gaps in coverage
Taking Action
If credits are low:
- May need more work history
- Consider part-time work
- Even minimal earnings help
- Build toward 40 credits
If earnings are low:
- Consider whether underemployed
- Affects future benefits
- Plan accordingly
If errors found:
- Contact SSA
- Provide documentation
- Correct as soon as possible
- Don't wait
How Purple Helps
- Track your current payments
- Early access to deposits
- Manage your finances
- SSI resource tracking
- Clear financial picture