Online Services, Retirement

3 Things You Can Do to Prepare for Retirement Right Now

April 12, 2018 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: November 3, 2023

woman on laptop Whether you just started seriously planning or are ready to retire, Social Security is the place to start. We’re with you throughout life’s journey, and that includes retirement planning!

The first thing you should remember is that Social Security replaces only a portion of your pre-retirement earnings. Most financial advisers say you will need about 70 percent of pre-retirement income to live comfortably in retirement, including your Social Security benefits, investments, and other savings. A solid retirement plan includes planning for more than Social Security. You can use Your Retirement Checklist to help you prepare.

When the time comes to take that giant step into retirement, Social Security’s online services can help guide you in this new journey. Use these services to help prepare yourself for a financially secure retirement:

  1. Check your earnings for accuracy
    • With a my Social Security account, you can view your earnings history, confirm you have enough work credits to retire, and see estimates of what your benefits will be. Open your account today!
  2. Determine the best age for you to retire
    • Our Retirement Estimator is a great tool that provides you with immediate and personalized estimates based on your own earnings record. This allows you to receive the most accurate estimate of your future retirement benefits. Estimate your benefits now!
  3. Retire online
    • After you have viewed your earnings history for accuracy, confirmed you have enough work credits to retire, and determined the best age for you to retire, you can get started on the next phase of your life right away by retiring online! Retire online today!

This National Social Security Month, remember that Social Security is here to help you secure today and tomorrow. Visit  our online services website today to see all you can do with us online.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Comments

  1. TYRONE R.

    RETIREMENT IS CALLED SLEEP AND OR GENERAL ADDRESSMENT RESPONSE-THIS IS TYRONE REGINALD-FOUNDATER OF SPRITE AND 7UP-!-NOTE AN FOUNDER IS AN FOUNDATION GENERAL AIDE AND PROPERTY AND OR PROPRIETERMENT RESPONSE AGENT-I’LL CALL BACK-!-IS THE WYOMING OFFICE OPEN AT THE MOMENT-

  2. a s.

    would’ve been helpful to have had all the info running around now publicized 25 yrs ago…

    on another hand, right wrong or otherwise, I figured I’d be $ ahead til 80+ and if still healthy then I wouldn’t begrudge …

    warinner pilot Austin 5128143007 dob 32

  3. Nitzotz

    Sam, I just read an article on Yahoo Finance the other day about Jack Welch formerly CEO of GE saying that we should banish the word retirement from our vocabularies. 🙂 Just thought that”d be a great jumping off point for one of your future posts and fairly relevant to this article. I am currently not in the mode of thinking about retirement with the coming birth of my son. I do think that late 40”s feels about right for retirement. It”s more or less based on the age my son will be more than about my financial situation. I would love to stay home with my wife and raise my son as a retired person. It”s because I want to give my son a solidly middle-class upbringing that I am committed to working for a steady paycheck, a growing 401k and other investments, and extremely importantly healthcare coverage. I do believe that once I near the cusp of retirement I would prefer to retire earlier with less of a solid financial position than to grind out due largely to ability to enjoy life with my wife and family. Obviously the ideal is get a side business going and have both.

  4. ali

    very good article.thank you 🙂
    http://iranmoshavere.com/

  5. Nancy D.

    How do we get taxes withheld from our social security checks?

  6. Shirley B.

    THANK YOU & GOD BLESS YOU SSA~ 🙂

  7. Nancy V.

    Why was I not included in the 2 percent increase in my SS check this year, 2018?

    My name is Nancy V Burns, 1111 Gravois Road, Apt 301, St Louis, MO 63126.phone 314-270-4224.

    • Snarky

      Don’t ask personal questions on a public site.

    • Elizabeth L.

      Read your paperwork from them. You probably received it but the deductions for medical services went up even more, leaving some of us with even less than we received last year.

    • Ray F.

      Hi Nancy! Unfortunately, and because of security reasons we do not have access to personal records in this blog and cannot answer your question at this time. One of our representatives should be able to provide you with an explanation. Please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later in the week.
      Just a reminder – Please be cautious about posting personal information on any social media channel. Thanks.

  8. Susan m.

    I expect money back noe find out got 7 toxic metal posion from that factory and have nerve not to pay and steal profit sharing also I’m not going to pay over 1000000 dr bills because they got away with lazy Medicare and ss and labor board also I’m dying and I can’t believe how many people didn’t help me

  9. Susan m.

    I’m on ss now I went out operation 2008 my job hired someone to do paperwork for me if don’t no more job or pay so I signed I got ss in five months 3/2009 still had blue cross from job as ins but now was told have to pay for husband ins even though he was on unemployment no ins at all then was to get 60 percent pay check on ltd after get sydn26 weeks I went straights to ltd at 60 o don’t think so was
    Making 20 a hour gave me 386 month ss gave 1376
    When I was forced manadoty overtime of lost job six hours day plus sat and Sunday had to bring dr note in so sick and medicare and adorable act law both say if private plan with more than 100 employees and under 65 co ins first no no one helped labor board five times had to take four o ones k which they never matched when wotkimg deny pay stubs proof sent back dumb then paid 7 years husband ins too bad dr dropped me 3m paid not one bill nothing second even after paid deed

    • Snarky

      Good grief! You should have had someone doing your paperwork long before you became disabled.

  10. Billie S.

    I went in person and still got it wrong,I’m retiring on 5.1.18 so I wanted to stop my survivors social security and start mine in May.Last week in the mail I get 2 Medicare cards mine and my deceased husbands and I get 2 letters from social security what I’ll be getting for my social security which I want them I get a letter for my deceased husband social security I know I can only get one,so I’m waiting to see which one I get 3rd Wednesday or 4th Wednesday which is mine .So frustrating I thought I did everything right.

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