Planning for retirement can be stressful, especially when you’re unsure how much money you’ll receive from Social Security.
Knowing your estimated monthly benefits can help you adjust your financial plans and feel more secure about the future.
Fortunately, you don’t have to guess — the My Social Security web portal provides all the information you need to estimate your benefits and make adjustments.
With a My Social Security account, you can access important documents, make changes to your benefits, and estimate your monthly payments.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create an account, check your benefits eligibility, and calculate your expected Social Security payments.
How to Sign Up for a My Social Security Account?
To view your Social Security benefits, you need to create a My Social Security account.
If you already have a login.gov or ID.me account, you can simply use those credentials to sign in. If not, follow these steps to create a new account:
- Go to the login.gov sign-up page.
- Select “Create an account.” Enter your email address and preferred language, then submit.
- Verify your email. Look for an email from login.gov with the subject “Confirm your email.” Click the confirmation link.
- Create a password. Your password must be at least 12 characters long.
- Set up two-factor authentication. You can use an authenticator app, text message, phone call, backup codes, a security key, or a government employee ID.
- Link your login.gov account to the My Social Security portal. Accept the terms of service and provide your details to confirm your identity.
Once your account is set up, you can log into the My Social Security portal anytime to check your benefits and manage your information.
How to Check Your Social Security Eligibility and Earnings?
After setting up your account, you’ll gain access to your My Social Security dashboard. Before estimating your benefits, you’ll need to confirm your eligibility.
The Social Security Administration bases your eligibility on work credits. You need 40 work credits to qualify for Social Security benefits, and you can earn up to four credits per year.
If you don’t have enough credits, you won’t be able to get an estimate of your benefits until you reach the required number.
Your account also gives you access to your full earnings record. This record shows all the years you’ve worked and the amount of taxed earnings for each year.
Take time to review this information carefully — if any years are missing or earnings are incorrect, you may not receive the full benefits you’re entitled to. If you find an error, you can request a correction through the portal.
How to Estimate Your Monthly Social Security Payments?
Once your eligibility is confirmed, you can use the Retirement Calculator on your dashboard to estimate your monthly benefits.
The calculator provides a detailed breakdown of how much you’ll receive based on when you choose to retire:
- Early retirement at 62 – Lower monthly payments.
- Full retirement at 67 (for those born in 1960 or later) – Standard monthly payments.
- Delayed retirement at 70 – Maximum monthly payments.
You can adjust the calculator settings to explore different scenarios, such as changing your retirement age or future salary.
The calculator will automatically update the estimates and display them in an Estimates Table below. You can print or save this information for future reference.
What Else Can You Do with Your Social Security Account?
In addition to estimating your benefits, the My Social Security account lets you handle other important tasks, including:
- Replacing your Social Security card.
- Viewing or printing your benefit verification letter.
- Starting or checking the status of a retirement or SSDI application.
- Reporting wages if you currently receive SSDI.
- Calculating spousal benefits for a current or former spouse.
Setting up a My Social Security account makes it easy to stay informed and prepared for retirement.
Take a few minutes to create your account, check your earnings record, and estimate your future benefits.
Planning will help you feel more secure and ready for the years to come.
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