I wonder if anyone is like me – and I’m speaking from a personal experience. In viewing my Social Security account this year, I discovered that my Social Security Number was issued in my nickname rather than my legal name (that is what happens when you apply for your SSN at 14 years of age so you can get a job). I came to realize in this process that if your legal name does not match the name on your Social Security record, it may prevent the correct earnings being posted to your account or cause delays in processing any benefits to you.
Social Security is an important source of income for retirees. There’s a lot of confusion surrounding Social Security benefits but if you want to learn more, log into the Social Security website at www.ssa.gov. In the website, you can create a free “My Social Security Account.” The website allows you to print your Social Security statement, get estimates of retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, review your earnings record, and many other things.
The website is educational as to how benefits are calculated, when you will reach full retirement age, how much your spouse will receive, how long you can expect to live, along with several other things.
If you have never gone online to view your account, we urge you to visit the site and create a Social Security statement and read it. Periodically checking your Social Security benefits helps you plan for retirement and allows you to check for and correct errors.
From the review of my account, I was able to discover my error as a teenager, correct my account and get a new social security card.
Written by: Thomas B. Bedsole, Jr. (Tommy), CPA/PFS
