70% of Americans Haven’t Taken This Basic Social Security Step
About 70% of American adults have not created a personal my Social Security
account, according to new research from the Social Security Administration
(SSA). That means millions of workers are missing an easy way to review their
earnings, estimate future benefits, and manage Social Security information
online.
Even if retirement is decades away and you don’t plan on living on just
Social Security, checking this information now could prevent unwelcome
surprises later. Here’s what the research found and why registering may be worth
a few minutes of your time.
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Only 30% of adults have registered
The SSA research found that just 30% of U.S. adults had registered for my Social
Security. Only 43.6% had even heard of the service.
The findings came from a nationally representative survey of 12,809 adults
conducted between June 2022 and July 2024. The results don’t necessarily mean
people are deliberately avoiding the service. Many apparently don’t know it
exists.
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The account does more than manage benefits
A my Social Security account isn’t just for retirees already receiving monthly
checks. Workers can use it to view their Social Security Statement, review their
earnings history, and see personalized estimates of the benefits they might
receive at different claiming ages.
People who receive benefits can also use the account to change direct deposit
information, print benefit verification letters, access tax forms, and update
their information.
You can check whether your earnings are accurate
The SSA calculates retirement benefits using a worker’s earnings record. If
wages or self-employment income are missing or incorrect, that mistake could
affect the benefit calculation later.
Your online account lets you compare the SSA’s record with old W-2 forms, tax
returns, or pay records. Catching a problem shortly after it happens is
generally easier than trying to reconstruct decades-old employment information
when retirement is right around the corner.
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Personalized estimates can improve retirement planning
Generic Social Security averages only tell you so much. The amount you might
receive depends on your earnings history and the age you start claiming.
A my Social Security account provides estimates based on the income currently
listed in your record. Seeing those numbers could help you decide how much to
save, whether working longer makes sense, and how claiming earlier or later
might fit into your larger retirement plan.
Younger adults have the lowest registration rates
Registration was especially uncommon among adults ages 30 to 49. Only 21% of
that group had an account, compared with 39.6% of adults ages 50 to 61.
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That may sound understandable. Social Security probably isn’t competing with
mortgages, child care, and everything else demanding attention in your 30s and
40s. Still, those are important saving years, and having a realistic benefit
estimate could make retirement planning less abstract.
Registration rises as retirement approaches
Adults between 62 and 69 had the highest registration rate of 55.3%. That’s
probably not a coincidence. Social Security becomes much more immediate when
someone decides whether to claim benefits or keep working.
However, waiting until then could leave less time to address an inaccurate
earnings record or adjust your savings plan. Creating an account early gives
workers more opportunities to review their information and watch how their
projected benefits change.
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A little information changed some people’s minds
Another 14.8% of adults said they would be willing to register after the survey
gave them a basic explanation of the service. Among adults ages 30 to 49, that
share reached 20.5%.
That suggests a good portion of the registration gap may come down to simple
awareness. People may be perfectly willing to create an account once they
understand that the service is available before retirement and offers
information they can use today.
Security and confusion remain real barriers, though
That said, the study also found that 13.9% of adults wanted more information
before registering, while 9.4% cited security concerns and 3.8% pointed to
difficulty with registration. Another 28.1% gave situational or open-ended
reasons, like having no immediate need.
Those concerns shouldn’t be brushed aside. Anyone registering should begin at
the official SSA website rather than clicking an unexpected email or
advertisement that asks for personal information.
Creating an account doesn’t mean claiming benefits
Registering for my Social Security does not start retirement benefits or commit
you to a claiming age. It simply gives you secure access to your own information
and planning tools.
The SSA currently allows users to access the service through Login.gov or ID.me.
Depending on the option selected, you may need an email address, phone number,
government-issued photo ID, or a device with a camera to verify your identity.
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Bottom line
With only 30% of adults registered for my Social Security, most Americans are
missing a simple way to review their earnings history and get a personalized
look at their future benefits. Because Social Security is one of the most
important benefits
for seniors, checking that information before retirement could help prevent
costly surprises.
Don’t treat registration as a one-time chore. Set an annual reminder to review
your earnings record after receiving your tax documents, then save a copy of
your latest Social Security Statement. That makes it easier to spot a new error
while you still have the records needed to correct it.
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