Social Security Earnings Record Correction — SSA earnings correction

## Why your earnings record matters

Your Social Security benefits — retirement, SSDI, and survivor — are calculated directly from your earnings record. A single year of missing or under-reported earnings can lower your monthly benefit by hundreds of dollars for the rest of your life.

## The 3 year, 3 month, 15 day rule

Generally, SSA accepts straightforward corrections for earnings within **3 years, 3 months, and 15 days** of the original tax year. Beyond that window, corrections require substantial proof — W-2s, pay stubs, tax returns, or a letter from the employer.

There are exceptions for fraud, employer error confirmed by the IRS, and certain other situations.

## Common causes of errors

- Name changes (marriage, divorce) without an updated Social Security card. - Employer W-2 errors (wrong SSN or wrong wage amount). - Self-employment income not reported to SSA. - Employer never paid in payroll taxes. - Wages reported under the wrong Social Security number.

## How to check your record

- Create or sign in at **ssa.gov/myaccount**. - Review your year-by-year earnings. - Compare each year to your W-2s and tax returns.

Do this **annually**. The closer to the tax year, the easier the fix.

## How to correct an error

1. Gather proof: W-2s, pay stubs, tax returns, or a written statement from the employer. 2. Contact SSA online, by phone, or in person at a local office. 3. File **Form SSA-7008** (Request for Correction of Earnings Record) with your evidence. 4. Follow up — SSA may take several months to research older records.

## When to escalate

If SSA cannot match your records and the employer cannot help, you can submit the corrected information directly. SSA's wage investigation unit can subpoena employer records when needed.