Plan for your Future During Financial Literacy Month

Plan for your Future During Financial Literacy Month

Social Security & You
By Brandon P. Smith, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

We celebrate Financial Literacy Month (FLM) every April to promote financial education and well-being in the United States. FLM also serves as a reminder that Social Security is a vital part of any financial plan. Our online tools are here to help you understand your potential Social Security benefits and how they fit into your financial future. 

You should periodically review your Social Security Statement (Statement) using your personal my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount. Your Statement is an easy-to-read summary of the estimated benefits you and your family could receive, including potential retirement, disability, and survivors’ benefits.  

If you’re planning to retire, you can visit our Plan for Retirement webpage at ssa.gov/prepare/plan-retirement.  Here you can compare how different future earnings and retirement benefit start-dates might affect your future benefit amount.

Please tell your friends and family about the steps they can take to improve their financial knowledge by exploring their personal my Social Security account.  If they don’t have an account, they can easily create one at ssa.gov/myaccount.

About the author

Brandon P. Smith is the author of Northeast Ohio Thrive’s Social Security & You blog. He is a Social Security public affairs specialist with the Social Security Administration, based in Cleveland. A Cleveland native, he joined the SSA in 2003. He is the primary contact for media relations, outreach, and presentations for the agency in Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, and Geauga counties. In addition to other communications awards, Brandon received a Deputy Commissioner Citation from Social Security’s Office of Communication in 2015 for his outstanding public affairs support of the agency’s national communication initiatives.

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