If you work for an employer, chances are both you and your employer pay Social Security taxes. These taxes help make workers eligible for disability and retirement benefits when needed, and if your employer is reporting your income correctly, Social Security can determine exactly what amounts you may be eligible for if you do request and receive either disability payments or retirement payments. An accurate earnings record is extremely important to workers for these reasons.
Where Are Earnings Reports Processed?
Social Security sends earnings reports of employees and self-employed persons to the Office of Central Operations. Employer reports of earnings are received in the central office and the agency’s facility at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Each person’s earnings amounts are credited to his or her record.
What Happens If There Is An Error In Your Earnings Report?
If there is any error in your earnings report, or if your Social Security number or name is reported incorrectly, the Office of Central Operations investigates so that it can correct the error. It also decides if your reported earnings are covered by Social Security.
The Office of Central Operations may write directly to you or your employer to get information needed to clarify your earnings report. If necessary, it may ask a Social Security office to get directly in touch with you to resolve any problem or obtain information needed to determine if your work is covered by Social Security.
Where are earnings records maintained?
If you are assigned a Social Security number, your earnings record is maintained at the Office of Central Operations of the Social Security Administration in Baltimore, Maryland. The earnings record is kept so that when it is time to decide on your eligibility for Social Security benefits and benefit amount, your earnings history is available.
