Question: My question is unusual. I tried to get help in the Social Security office, but got none. I immigrated to the U.S. in 1989 and am still working for the same employer. In 2010, 2011 and 2012, I received Social Security estimates with the same dollar amount. As far as I know, 35 years will be counted in a calculation, but I do not have 35 years on my record (only 25 years). Every year I worked the quantity of “0” has to be replaced by my earnings and contribution to the Social Security system. My full retirement age is 66 years, which was in 2012.
I am still working and not receiving my Social Security benefit (I delayed it). Please explain to me how to resolve this problem with the Social Security office. I feel it is not correct to receive the same benefit estimate for three years in a row.
Answer: This does sound strange. I would try to meet with a Social Security Technical Expert in the local Social Security office and have him or her show you your earnings statement and make sure it includes your past three years of covered employment.
____________
When it comes to personal finance, economics and our software care about one thing—your living standard. All questions in personal finance boil down to your living standard. Your decision about when and how to take Social Security can affect your living standard throughout your retirement.
I am a professor of economics and I’ve spent a good part of my academic career studying personal financial behavior. Here’s why my colleagues and I developed Maximize My Social Security. Deciding, on your own, which Social Security benefits to take and in which month to take them is incredibly difficult. Most households face millions of options. You can easily lose tens of thousands of dollars making the wrong choices.
My company’s software, Maximize My Social Security, can help you avoid costly mistakes and instead discover your maximized lifetime household benefits.
