Social

Security

The Social Security Statement: The Future’s In Your Hands

Social Security Administration

SSA Publication No. 05-10150

September 1999 

ICN 480135

Unit of Issue: HD (one hundred)

The Social Security Statement:

The Future’s In Your Hands

If you’re age 25 or older and not already receiving Social Security benefits, you are one of the 

approximately 125 million individuals who will 

receive a Social Security Statement every year.

The four-page Social Security Statement is 

intended to help you plan your financial future 

by providing estimates of the monthly Social 

Security retirement, disability and survivors 

benefits you and your family could be eligible 

to receive now and in the future.

What Will It Tell Me?

The information will tell you—

• the amounts of benefits you and your family 

could be eligible to receive if you become 

disabled or retire;

• whether you have enough insurance to 

protect your survivors when you die; and

• how your future Social Security benefits fit 

in with your financial planning.

Earnings Information, Too

The information in the Statement also provides 

you with an easy way to see whether your earnings—or self-employment income—are posted 

accurately on your Social Security record. 

That’s important because your future benefits 

will be based on your lifetime earnings.

What If My Earnings Are Wrong?

If some of your earnings are missing on your 

Statement or there are incorrect earnings 

listed, call Social Security’s toll-free number 

right away. If possible, have the appropriate 

W-2 forms or self-employment tax records 

available when you call.

When Will My Statement Arrive?

You should receive your Social Security

Statement each year about three months before 

your birthday. For example, if you were born in 

February, you can expect to receive your Statement in November. Because the mailing will 

take place throughout the month, some Statements may not arrive exactly within the third 

month. That means you and your spouse (if 

you’re married) probably won’t get your Statements at the same time, even if your birthdays 

fall within the same month.

For More Information

If you have questions about the Statement or 

the Social Security program in general, call our 

toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, 24 hours a 

day, including weekends and holidays. You can 

speak to a service representative between 7 a.m. 

and 7 p.m. on business days. Our lines are busiest early in the week and early in the month, so, 

if your business can wait, it’s best to call at other 

times. Whenever you call, please have your 

Social Security number handy.

If you’re deaf or hard of hearing, you may call 

our toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, 

between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on business days.

Social Security information also is available 

on the Internet at www.ssa.gov.

We treat all calls confidentially—whether 

they’re made to our toll-free numbers or to one 

of our local offices. We also want to ensure that 

you receive accurate and courteous service. 

That’s why we have a second Social Security 

representative monitor some incoming and 

outgoing telephone calls.