June 3, 2014
8:46 a.m.

Subject: “my Social Security” is your Social Security

Whether retirement seems like it’s just around the corner or years away, it’s good to know that Social Security is here and working for you right now—even if you’re not receiving benefits yet. How can Social Security help you today? By providing you with the information you need to plan ahead for the retirement you want someday.

In fact, one of the best tools for planning a secure retirement is exclusively yours and just waiting for you to open online today. It’s called a “my Social Security” account.

When you create your personal “my Social Security” online account, you’ll discover valuable information that can make a real difference in helping you prepare for your retirement.

You can get your online Social Security Statement, review your lifetime earnings history (and catch any errors while it’s easier to fix them), see estimates of your future benefits, and more—all important information that can help you plan and save for greater peace of mind.

How to get started:

Opening a “my Social Security” account online is quick, safe and easy. It only takes a few minutes and it’s absolutely free. To open yours, go to the Social Security website at www.socialsecurity.gov and click on “my Social Security”. Then follow the instructions for creating your secure, online account. You must be at least 18 years of age and have:

• A valid email address,
• A Social Security number, and
• A U.S. mailing address

You’ll also need to provide some personal information about yourself and answer some questions only you are likely to know. This process protects you and keeps your information private.

You’ve created an account. Now what?

Once you see your estimated retirement benefits, you can really start to plan, invest and save with more confidence. You can even take a look at when you might want to retire.

While Social Security will be here to provide you with a secure foundation in the future, it was never intended to be your sole source of retirement income. You don’t want to end up living in your kid’s basement, so you may want to put aside more for a comfortable retirement. Any day is a great day to start.

And once you do retire, or start receiving benefits for any reason, your “my Social Security” account is the best place to manage those benefits. You can use your account to get an instant benefit verification letter, change your address and phone number on Social Security’s records, and to start or change direct deposit of your benefit payment.

More than 11 million people have opened a “my Social Security” account and that number continues to grow by the millions. It’s a convenient, easy and safe way to connect with Social Security at any stage in life.

It’s never too early to plan for the time when you won’t be working. So, begin to take control of your future retirement security by signing up for a “my Social Security” account. Learn more and create yours today at www.socialsecurity.gov.