Three Steps for Women to Secure Their Financial Future
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 3, 2023
At Social Security, we know that preparedness is the key to a secured financial future. The steps you take today will shape your life when you’re no longer working. For women, it’s especially important to be ready when retirement comes knocking.
In 2014, the Census Bureau reported that women usually earn 79 cents for every dollar earned by men. In addition to this wide pay gap, women are also shown to have less saved for retirement than their male counterparts. Pair these statistics with women living longer and it drives home an urgency message. Your preparation for the future must begin today.
Social Security is here to help with benefits, information, and tools to help you secure today and tomorrow. Here’s how you get started:
- Sign up for a my Social Security A personal, my Social Security account is the portal to your retirement. You can review your earnings, get your Social Security Statement to see how much you’re slated to get as retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits. Go to socialsecurity.gov, click on Sign in/Up, and follow the steps to create your secure account. It’s easy!
- Visit our Retirement Estimator to get a projected snapshot of what your retirement future looks like based on your actual Social Security earnings record. You can plug in some basic information to get an instant, personalized estimate of your future benefits.
- If you don’t have a retirement account, consider signing up for the U.S. Treasury Department’s myRA. It’s a simple, safe, and affordable starter retirement account that helps Americans without access to employer-based retirement plans save for their financial future. It’s free to open an account, there are no annual fees, and myRA carries no risk of losing money. With myRA, you can fund your account via payroll deduction, or from your checking or savings account. Visit gov to get started today.
Social Security wants every woman to have control of her financial future. Follow these simple steps today and you’ll be well on your way.
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Tags: my Social Security, my Social Security account, Social Security benefits
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Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Pam B.
What is the amount for Medicare that’s deducted from my Social Security check?
Sharon F.
I am 59 and my guilt is based on what parenting rights does a single mother have I find there is no way around that without hearing who is going to take care of whom and all the respect between parent and child is lost on one simple fact that I should of been more healthy and aware of what I am going though and no amount of pleading with the courts are the people in the welfare office why isn’t my words good enough when it comes to how much love and support one person needs and if the burden is too much money in six children and I cannot see pass this accusations even as I am grown my children almost the age of me my inquiries are an assullt as well as an insult it seems on the ones who have been just that court appointed.No relief no retirement goals how reasonable can that be for a women to solve.
John W.
I am planning on retiring at age 70 this January. At what age may my wife claim 1/2 of my full benefits?
She is now 63.
R.F.
Thank you for your question, John. Benefits for your spouse can be equal to one-half of your full retirement amount if she starts receiving benefits at her full retirement age. If your spouse qualifies on her own record, we will pay that amount first. If the benefit on your record is higher, she will get an additional amount on your record so that the combination of benefits equals that higher amount. See our Retirement Planner: Benefits For Your Spouse for more information.
Mark8
Hi, do you allow guest posting on blog.socialsecurity.gov ? 🙂 Please let me know on my email
Jerimy P.
Please stop my SS card from going to address listed! That was just a temp Address thanks Mr Tilley
R.F.
Hi Jerimy, to make a correction or to follow up on your application for a Social Security (replacement) card, you may have to return to the office where you filed your application. Also, on your receipt there should be a local phone number for you to call and speak to someone about the status of your card. We suggest you contact us as soon as possible. Thanks.
Shirley
I turn 65 before the end of 2017, can I apply for ssn on Jan 1, 2018 and not have a penalty taken from my ssn benefits for 2018? I turn 66 yrs old in October of 2018.
R.F.
Hi Shirley, if you were born between 1/2/1943 and 1/1/1955, your full retirement age is 66 years. Full retirement age is the age at which a person may first become entitled to full or unreduced retirement benefits. If a person begins to receive benefits 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. To help you plan for the future, you can use our Retirement Planner. You can also create a my Social Security account to verify your earnings, get your Social Security Statement, and much more. Remember that you can sign up for Medicare ONLY three months before your 65th birthday. We hope this information helps!
Jim
The big problem for everyone is congress. The worst possible money managers on the planet. The theft alone after the SS contributions were lumped into the general fund should be a major concern to every American worker. Then on top of that, numerous increase cost to the contributor. More cost because of poor managers. Then on top of that congress decided to tax your benefit because they know nothing or care about managing our money. If congress is serious about fixing what they broke, they should start with a payback plan of all the funds they “borrowed” over the years.
Sad sorry situation. But don’t worry, congress has no worries about their cushy retirement ever running out of money.
Susan R.
The WEP /GPO are very unfair to teachers especially and other public employees. There is current bipartisan action in the House and Senate ( HR 1205/S 915) Call your Rep. and Senators to support those bills and maybe we can get things to change!