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Take 5 Steps toward Your Financial Security

April 3, 2017 • By

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Last Updated: November 3, 2023

5 steps towards financial future April is National Social Security Month and a perfect time to think about your future. We’d like to encourage you to take Five Steps toward Your Financial Security Planning for the future may seem intimidating to many, but we’ve broken the task down into five easy steps:

Step 1: Get to know your Social Security — You and Social Security are on a journey for life, but there is so much you may not know about the benefits and services we provide. Social Security delivers financial security to millions of children and adults before retirement; including the chronically ill, children of deceased parents, and wounded warriors.

Step 2: Verify your earnings — Your benefits are calculated using your employment records. You can use your personal my Social Security account to verify that your earnings are recorded accurately.

Step 3: Estimate your benefits — With our Retirement Estimator, you can estimate your future retirement or disability benefits based on your actual earnings record. This can be invaluable as you plan for your future.

Step 4:  Apply for benefits — You can apply for retirement, Medicare, or disability benefits online through our easy to use, convenient to navigate, and secure online application.

Step 5:  Manage your benefits — Social Security puts you in control by offering convenient and secure services that fit your needs. Verify your earnings and payment information, change your address or phone number, get a benefit verification letter, and even start or change direct deposit of your benefits.

A personal my Social Security account is the key to helping you plan for your financial future. If you don’t have a my Social Security account, open yours today! Take 5 Steps toward Your Financial Security and get to know your Social Security and the many ways we help secure today and tomorrow for you and your family.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. Monique J.

    I need a award letter

  2. Monique J.

    I am requesting a income verification letter for Peco

  3. suzanne v.

    If I retire at 62 but don’t take my social security benefit til age 66, 8 months how do I calculate my benefits.

    • Ray F.

      Hi Suzanne, our Retirement Estimator is exactly the calculator you are looking for! It gives you future estimates of your monthly Social Security benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.
      In addition, we have a variety of other calculators to help you plan for the future. Which calculator you choose depends on what you want to do.
      We suggest that you create a my Social Security account. With your personal my Social Security account, you can verify your earnings, get your Social Security Statement, and much more.
      In April we celebrate “National Social Security Month“, see what you can do online at http://www.SocialSecurity.gov. Happy planning!

  4. Marino W.

    Would like to request a handbook on Social Security thru the mail. If possible my address: 115 Emory Lane, Dublin,Ga. 31021.

  5. Pat A.

    If I begin to draw social security at a 62.5 how much income can I make at another job.

  6. Robin

    We were married over ten years before divorcing. Neither remarried. His social security is higher than mine by $700. SS said I could not file on his because I make over half of what he makes. Said I can refile if and when he dies. I do not understand. Help please.
    I need more money.

  7. Anthony R.

    When are you going to send me my benefits UNPAID since last July 2016!

    • Ray F.

      Hi Anthony. Unfortunately, but for security reasons, we do not have access to personal records in this blog. Please continue working with your local office. If you are unable to visit the local office, you can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, representatives are available Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thanks.

  8. floc

    thanks for the info http://xxxhub.us

  9. Jo

    My husband is 15 years older than I, and retired,receiving SS benifits. I was born in 1956. He made much more salary in his work lifetime than I. Would it be better for me to take 1/2 his benefit at an early age…or wait until I’m max retirement age and take my own benefits at At100%

    • Ray F.

      Hi Jo. Your spouse’s benefit can be equal to one-half of your ex-spouse’s full retirement amount, only if you start receiving benefits at your full retirement age. If a person begins to receive benefits at age 62 or prior to their full retirement age, their benefits are reduced. The reduction factors are permanently applied to all of the benefits the person may qualify for. The best way to start planning for your future is by creating a my Social Security account online. With my Social Security, you can verify your earnings, get your Social Security Statement, and much more. Also, we have a variety of benefit-calculators to help you plan for the future. Hope this helps!

  10. Alvin

    I do not know if it’s just me or if everybody
    else encountering problems with your blog. It seems like
    some of the text within your posts are running off the screen.
    Can someone else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them as well?
    This may be a issue with my browser because I’ve had this happen before.
    Kudos

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