No matter your age it is very important that you create an online, “my Social Security,” account on the federal Social Security website www.ssa.gov. Social Security handles Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B enrollment. When the time comes to enroll in Medicare or Social Security, the importance of reviewing your earnings history and personal information is vitally important. Earnings information will affect your Social Security payment forever.
Social Security having incorrect information has occurred many times. Examples of mistakes such as place of birth (correct city, wrong state, or vise-versa) or marriage certificates with the wrong place of birth are not uncommon. When the personal information does not align with Social Security’s information you cannot complete the Medicare enrollment process, or claim Social Security benefits until the information is corrected.
Other common mistakes are incorrect name due to marriage or divorce, and incorrect date of birth.
Less common is the inability to create a, “my Social Security,” account due to fraudulent activity such as stolen identity. The local Social Security office in your city is the best bet in this situation. Call first. They will tell you the type of proof required to straighten things out.
With many steps involved comes many opportunities for mistakes. Your earnings information is entered into a payroll system. At the end of each year it is then transferred to an annual W2 form. The W2 or 1099 is sent to you. You include it with your tax return to the IRS. The IRS shares the information with the Social Security Administration. Somewhere along the line, and over many years, mistakes are bound to be made. It is best to catch them now instead of the week before turning 65 when time is of the essence and you are attempting to enroll in Medicare.
Once you have created a “my Social Security” account and reviewed the personal information, simply call your local Social Security office to address any corrections that may need to be made. There is an Office Locator tool on the www.ssa.gov website which lists phone numbers as well.
A somewhat common response when suggesting to a client to create a “my Social Security” account on www.ssa.gov is that they do not want their personal information online. The information is already online, for better or worse, and making sure that it is accurate is of utmost importance.