The 1 Social Security Move Every American Must Complete

Millions of Americans open their Social Security check without realizing that they may have made one of the most surprising retirement mistakes.

Everything Social Security pays you depends on the earnings listed in your file, and one overlooked year can lower your monthly check by a significant amount.

In the guide below, you'll see why this review matters, how errors show up, and the steps you need to take if you notice an error.

Why this matters

Your earnings history plays a central role in how Social Security calculates your benefit. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME), which is based on your 35 highest indexed years. Any missing or incorrect year is treated as a $0 and lowers that average.

For example, if a $50,000 work year is missing or misreported, the reduction in your long-term average can translate into a noticeably smaller monthly benefit, often by more than $100 per month.

Over the course of a year, that adds up to more than $1,000 in lost income, simply because one year wasn't recorded correctly, which isn't great if you're trying to lower your financial stress. 

By checking your online Social Security statement and account, you can review the full earnings history attached to your name and confirm that each year reflects what you actually earned.

The SSA encourages all workers to review their statements in order to catch any issues.

Create or log in to your "my Social Security" account

Start by setting up or signing in to your personal my Social Security account at SSA.gov. Once you're in, you can quickly review the key details SSA keeps on file. You'll be able to:

• See the wages or self-employment income SSA recorded for each year.
• View your estimated monthly benefit at different claiming ages.
• Request a replacement Social Security card, check application status, and download your SSA-1099 tax forms.
• Update your personal information and account preferences.

The whole setup only takes a few minutes, and it's worth it in the long run. SSA even notes that having an online account lets you receive your annual COLA notice earlier than waiting for the mail.

Check your earnings record for accuracy

After you log in to your SSA account, open your earnings statement. SSA updates this list each year based on your W-2s and tax filings.

Go through it year by year and scan for anything that looks off. Common errors include:

• A missing work year
• A "0" in a year you know you worked
• The wrong employer listed
• Wages that look lower than what you earned

If something looks incorrect, act quickly. Gather any proof you have, such as W-2s, pay stubs, or old tax returns. And if you can't find paperwork, write down the employer's name, the year, and roughly what you earned.

Then contact the SSA right away to request a correction. The SSA can fix errors if you show solid evidence.

Estimate your future benefit and your best claiming age

Once your earnings record is accurate, use your SSA account to see what your benefit looks like at different ages.

Your online Statement includes a chart showing estimated monthly payments at different ages, starting at 62 and running through age 70. It's an easy way to see how timing affects the size of your check.

Under current SSA rules, if your full retirement age (FRA) is 67, claiming at 62 results in a permanent reduction of about 30%. Waiting past FRA raises your benefit, with estimates showing roughly an 8% increase for each year you delay until age 70.

For reference, the average retired worker is receiving about $2,071 per month as of January 2026. Your number may be higher or lower, but that average gives you a useful benchmark.

Use these estimates to plan next steps:

• You may decide to work one more year to replace a low-earning year.
• You may see that delaying your claim gives you a much stronger monthly check.

A few minutes of review can show which path gives you the most long-term income.

Make any necessary updates

It is always a good idea to tidy up the personal details in your Social Security account so your payments run without interruptions. If anything in your life has changed, make sure your SSA profile reflects it. Key items to review include:

• Your mailing address and contact information
• Marital status
• Family changes
• Spousal or partner earnings
• Direct deposit details and tax withholding

If you wait to make these changes, you could face a delayed payment or even an unexpected repayment.

Bottom line

It's easy to assume your earnings are recorded correctly or that the system will sort out any mistakes on its own. But your Social Security record reflects decades of work, and missing entries can quietly reduce the benefit you count on in retirement.

If you're aiming for a more stress-free retirement, reviewing your information is a simple step that gives you clarity. Setting up your account and checking your earnings history usually takes less than an hour, and that quick look can help ensure your future payments reflect the work you've already put in.

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