Your Social Security Earnings Record: How to Spot an Error Before It Costs You
Your Social Security benefits are based on your earnings history. If a year of earnings is missing or wrong on your record, your future benefit could be lower than it should be. The good news: you can check the record yourself, and you can ask the Social Security Administration (SSA) to fix mistakes. Doing it sooner is better — old pay records get harder to find with time.
Please read: This article gives general information only, not individualized advice. See our Financial Disclaimer for more detail.
In this article
- Why your earnings record matters
- How to check your record
- What counts as an error
- How to ask SSA to correct it
- Yearly earnings-check checklist
- Frequently asked questions
Why your earnings record matters
Each year, your employer reports your earnings to SSA (if you are self-employed, you report them yourself). SSA uses that history to calculate retirement and disability benefits. SSA itself warns that you are the only person who can verify that your lifetime record is complete and correct — and that even one misreported year could reduce your benefits.
How to check your record
- Sign in to your personal my Social Security account, or create one if you do not have one.
- Open your full earnings record and review it year by year, not just the total.
- Compare each year against your own records, such as W-2 forms and tax returns.
- SSA suggests checking in August to make sure last year's amount was added correctly. Note that the most recent year or two may not be listed yet — that is normal, not necessarily an error.
If you cannot use an online account, you can mail SSA a Request for Social Security Statement form, or call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) for help. If you already receive benefits, see our guide to checking your Social Security benefits online.
What counts as an error
| What you see | What it may mean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A year is missing entirely | An employer may not have reported it, or it may be posted under a different name | Gather that year's W-2 or tax return and contact SSA |
| An amount looks too low | Earnings may have been under-reported or split incorrectly | Compare with your W-2 and tax return for that year |
| Earnings from an employer you never worked for | Possible misposting — or possible misuse of your number | Ask SSA to correct it; if you suspect identity theft, also follow FTC guidance at IdentityTheft.gov |
| A small difference in a recent year | Recent earnings may not be posted yet | Wait, then re-check; do not assume it is an error right away |
How to ask SSA to correct it
- Online (when available): In your my Social Security account, select "Review your full earnings record now" and then "Request a correction online." Note that not everyone is eligible for the online correction service.
- In person: If you cannot use the online service, visit a local Social Security office. SSA will verify your identity and discuss the earnings in question.
- Bring proof: If the earnings are not yours, SSA will verify your identity and ask you to declare under penalty of perjury that the earnings are not yours. In some cases SSA may ask you to complete Form SSA-7008, Request for Correction of Earnings Record, and submit additional documentation. SSA recommends bringing copies of your filed tax returns for the year or years in question; W-2s and pay stubs are also helpful evidence for corrections generally. Do not assume SSA-7008 or the perjury declaration is required for every in-person correction.
- Keep copies of everything you submit, and note the date, office, and name of anyone you speak with.
Be aware that changes to your earnings record can affect benefit estimates and eligibility for some programs, so ask SSA to explain any change before you agree to it.
Yearly earnings-check checklist
- ☐ Signed in to my Social Security and reviewed the full year-by-year record
- ☐ Each year compared with W-2s or tax returns
- ☐ Any missing, low, or unfamiliar year noted with the year and amount
- ☐ Supporting documents gathered before contacting SSA
- ☐ Correction requested online or at a local office, with copies kept
- ☐ Record re-checked after SSA confirms the correction
Frequently asked questions
How often should I check my earnings record?
SSA's own guidance says to review your earnings carefully every year. A yearly check catches mistakes while documents are still easy to find.
Can I fix an error from many years ago?
You can ask, but ordinarily you cannot correct your earnings after 3 years, 3 months and 15 days from the end of the taxable year in which the wages were paid, with exceptions including confirming records with IRS-filed tax returns, employee omissions or missing reports, errors on the face of the record, and wages reported by an employer but not shown in SSA records. SSA also notes that older errors are harder to prove: employers may no longer exist and old tax documents may be hard to obtain. That is why checking every year matters.
What if earnings on my record are not mine at all?
SSA can help correct your record. You may be able to request the correction online; otherwise visit a local office with your tax returns for those years. SSA does not handle identity theft itself — for that, contact the Federal Trade Commission.
Sources and next steps
Key facts follow SSA guidance: Review record of earnings and What do I do if I need to remove earnings that are not mine? Phone numbers are those published by SSA. Related reading: When to Claim Social Security: 62 vs. 67 vs. 70 in Plain Language.
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