How to Calculate Social Security Reported to IRS
The Social Security benefits you receive are based on the number of years you worked and how much you earned, so you want to make sure you get credit for every penny you put into the system. The Social Security Administration keeps track of your earnings based on the information your employers provided throughout the years. But you can keep your own records and do your own calculations to make sure the information Social Security has is accurate and complete.
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Instructions
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Gather as many tax forms and W-2 forms as you can. If you are self-employed, you will need your 1099-MISC forms as well.
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Lay out all of the documents you have and create a timeline of your earnings, starting with the earliest tax form or W-2 you have. The more years you have the more accurate and complete your totals will be.
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Find the amount of Social Security wages on each of your W-2 forms. If you just have tax forms to go by, use the amount of gross pay at the top of the form. Your old W-2 forms may be attached to the tax forms. If so, you can use them and record the amount of Social Security wages.
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Add up all of the amounts shown for Social Security wages on your W-2 forms. Seek out earnings documentation for any years you are missing and add that to the total.
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Tips & Warnings
You can log on to the Social Security website and use the benefits estimator to see how muchc you can expect to receive from the program when you retire.
