Every year, about 60 days before your birthday, the Social Security Administration sends every American worker their Personal Earnings and Benefits Estimate Statement (PEBES), which outlines what you can expect as a retirement benefit.

Don't make the mistake of tossing this statement into the trash or filing it away without looking at it. This form is the #1 way for you to be sure that you get the full Social Security benefits you deserve.

Your PEBES is your chance to catch any mistakes in your work history and correct them before it's too late. It's also your chance each year to see a projection of your Social Security benefits to help with your retirement planning.

Your PEBES lists the number of years you have been credit for working, and your earnings record for each year. These two factors determine how much you are entitled to receive in Social Security benefits. A mistake can cost you tens of thousands of dollars!

For example, a 65-year-old retiree who has just one year's peak earnings of $45,000 not show up on his record, for example, could lose $42 a month in Social Security payments--or almost $10,000 over a projected 19-year retirement.

Worse yet, imagine you for 10 years, but Social Security has records for only nine. Since you must work for 10 years in order to be eligible for benefits, this mistake would cost you dearly, causing you to receive NO Social Security benefits.

So, make sure you receive your PEBES each year (if you don't, we'll tell you what to do in just a minute). When it arrives, check what the Social Security Administration has recorded as your contributions against the Social Security contributions you've made (which you'll find listed on your year-end pay stubs and W-2 forms).

If you find an error, simply call the SSA at 1800 772-1213. Be sure to have your W-2s, tax forms and salary stubs for the years in question on hand.

It's much easier to find mistakes if you take this simple step each year. Plus, it's much easier for the SSA to correct an error before they start paying benefits to you than after!

#1 Cause of Mistakes

The main cause of mistakes on SSA records is a name change.

Be sure you phone Social Security if you change your name for any reason-such as marriage or divorce.

After you've reported the name change, phone again in a month and request a copy of your PEBES form to be sure your earnings record is combined under your new name. If it doesn't contain your entire earnings history under both your names, notify Social Security again.

Try to use the same exact name-initials and all-on all your employment records, and NEVER use a nickname.

If you don't receive a PEBES automatically, request a copy by calling the SSA toll-free, 1-800-772-1213, or go to www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-7004.html, where you can download a request form. Fill out this form (it takes only a minute) and submit through the Web site or mail it back to the SSA. About three weeks later, you'll get your personal statement in the mail.

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