Securing your Social Security

My partner recently received information about her Social Security benefits. Should I have received a statement too?

If you're older than 25 and aren't receiving Social Security benefits, you should receive an annual personal earnings and benefit estimate statement from the Social Security Administration (SSA) about three months before your birthday, says Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member Gary Glassman, CPA, with Burzenski & Co. PC in East Haven, Conn. The SSA provides these statements so you can determine what your benefits will be and assess whether this income will be enough to meet your retirement objectives.

Gary Glassman, CPA

"If you haven't received your statement, the SSA might not have your correct address or you might not be registered with the administration. You'll need to contact the SSA and provide the missing information," he says. Once you receive your statement, keep a copy and match the information to your employer-provided W-2. Glassman says that if you find any errors, you must notify the SSA within two years.