The most important part of your Social Security Statement may not be the big retirement benefit estimate staring back at you. It may sit farther down the page, in the earnings record that shows how much money Social Security credits to your work history.
That section deserves more than a quick glance before the statement gets filed away in a digital drawer. Your earnings record helps determine your future Social Security benefit, so an error involving missing wages, incorrect income or a year that looks suspiciously blank can create a problem worth catching long before retirement arrives.
