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IN THIS CHAPTER

❯❯ Knowing what Social Security means for you

❯❯ Looking at the value of Social Security

❯❯ Considering where your contributions go

❯❯ Getting all you can out of Social Security

❯❯ Contacting the Social Security Administration

Social Security is the foundation of long-term financial support for almost every American. If you’re like most people, you’ll depend on Social Security to help you survive in your later years (if not sooner). In fact, its protections are becoming even more important as an answer to growing insecurity in old age.

Look around you. If you’re in the workforce, you know that good jobs are hard to come by. If you’re an older worker who loses a job, you may also know it can take a long time to get a new one. Have you been able to set aside money for the future? Saving is essential, but many Americans save little, if anything. Maybe you contribute to a 401(k) at work, if your employer offers one, but who knows how much your investments will be worth next week or next month, let alone many years in the future?

Some of the people who read this book will live to be 100. Maybe you’re one of them. Many people will make it into their 80s and even their 90s. Those years cost money. In a future of risks and unknowns, Social Security is one thing you can count on. Your benefit is guaranteed by law and protected against inflation. But that doesn’t mean it takes care of itself or that you should be a passive participant in Social Security. You have decisions to make, and you can make them better if you have some working knowledge of the benefits you’ve earned. You may also have actions to perform, such as informing the Social Security Administration (SSA) about things that could affect your benefits.

This chapter provides an overview of Social Security and a broad-brush description of benefits. Here, I explain why Social Security was created and why those reasons are highly relevant to Americans today.