Your earnings record is directly tied to the amount of benefits you or your family could possibly receive from the Social Security Administration. It is important to make sure that your earnings record is accurate and to make corrections if it is not.

If you are over the age of 18, you can create your own account on the Social Security Administration website. Using your Social Security online account is the simplest way to make corrections.

The Social Security Administration tells us not to be concerned if you see missing wages from earlier in the current year or in the last year. There may simply be a delay in getting them recorded. However, if you believe you were not credited for earnings in prior years, you need to contact the Social Security Administration and take steps to correct the problem. Possible reasons why earnings are missing from your record may include:

• Your employer used the wrong name or Social Security Number;
• Your employer failed to record all of your earnings;
• You married, divorced, or changed your name and did not make the change with SSA;
• You worked under an SSN that was not yours.

You will need to track down all your records – W2 forms, tax returns, pay stubs, or any other documents you can find to show you worked for that employer. Make a list of all the names of supervisors or other employees you can recall. Then, contact the Social Security Administration and ask for help.