Editing Social Security (United States) (section)

=== How workers can get estimates of benefits ===
[[File:20200101 Remaining life expectancy - US.svg|thumb|upright=1.2|''Remaining'' life expectancy—expected number of remaining years of life as a function of ''current age''—is used in [[Pension|retirement income]] planning.<ref name=SocSecPeriodLifeExpectancy_2020>{{cite web | title=Actuarial Life Table | url=https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html | publisher=U.S. Social Security Administration Office of Chief Actuary | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708231105/https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html | archive-date=July 8, 2023 | date=2020 | url-status=live}}</ref>]]
The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides benefit estimates to workers through the Social Security Statement. The Statement can be accessed online by opening an online account with SSA called ''my Social Security''. With that account, workers can also construct "what if" scenarios, helping them to understand the effect on monthly benefits if they work additional years or delay the start of retirement benefits. The ''my Social Security'' account also offers other services, allowing individuals to request a replacement Social Security card or check the status of an application.<ref>{{Cite web | title=my Social Security | url=https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/ | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | language=en}}</ref>

A printed copy of the Social Security Statement is mailed to workers age 60 or older.

In 2021, SSA began producing ''Retirement Ready'' fact sheets, available online and as part of the online Statement, that tailor retirement planning information to different age groups (young, middle age, and older workers).<ref>{{Cite web | date=2021-04-01 | title=New Fact Sheets Added to Your Online Statement | url=https://blog.ssa.gov/new-fact-sheets-added-to-your-online-statement/ | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=Social Security Matters | language=en-US}}</ref>

SSA also has a Benefits Calculators web page with several stand-alone online calculators that help individuals estimate their benefits and prepare for retirement.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Benefit Calculators {{!}} SSA | url=https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/calculators/ | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | language=en}}</ref> These include benefit calculators for spouses, calculators for persons affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision or the Government Pension Offset and calculators to determine a person's full retirement age or the effect of the earnings test on benefits.

SSA also provides a life expectancy calculator to help with retirement planning.