Your Social Security Statement is a concise, easy-to-read personal record of the earnings on which you have paid Social Security taxes during your working years and a summary of the estimated benefits you and your family may receive as a result of those earnings.

The Social Security Administration provides the Statements in two ways: in automatic annual mailings to workers and former workers aged 25 and older and at any time to workers of any age who request them.

The Social Security Administration hopes you will keep your Statement with your other important papers and use it in several ways:

• First, the benefit estimates in your Statement can play an important role in your financial planning. When combined with your savings, investments and other pensions, your Social Security benefits can help you build a secure future for yourself and your family.
• Second, the Statement can help you make sure your reported earnings and other important information such as your name and date of birth are correct on your record. Mistakes could keep you from getting all the Social Security benefits you have earned. The sooner you identify mistakes, the easier it will be to help correct them.
• And finally, the general information on the Statement tells you about all the protection you are earning under Social Security. Many people think of Social Security only as a retirement program. The Statement shows how even young workers are building valuable protection in case they become disabled or die before they reach retirement age.