March is Women’s History Month. It is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women. Social Security provides vital benefits and financial protection for women.

Nearly 55 percent of the people receiving Social Security benefits are women. Today, more women work, pay Social Security taxes, and earn credit toward monthly retirement income than at any other time in our nation’s history. 

Women also have longer average life expectancies than men and tend to live more years in retirement. This means women have a greater chance of exhausting other sources of income. It’s important for women to plan early and wisely for retirement.

Our online booklet, Social Security: What Every Woman Should Know, found at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10127.pdf, provides detailed information about how life events can affect a woman’s Social Security retirement benefits. These events may include marriage, death of a spouse, divorce, self-employment and other life or career changes.

Your earnings history will determine future benefits, so we encourage you to verify that the information in your record is correct. You can create a personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount to review your full earnings history. You can also view your Social Security Statement using your personal my Social Security account, to get estimates of future benefits and other important planning information.

If you find an error in your earnings record, it is important to get it corrected so you receive the benefits you earned when you retire. Our publication, How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10081.pdf, provides you with details on how to make a correction. 

Learn about how Social Security benefits women at www.ssa.gov/people/women. Please share this information with your loved ones.

Social Security celebrates Women’s History Month.

Jeri Fields is the manager of the district Social Security office in Ironton.