Will SS recalculate my benefits for missing Law Enforcement earnings from 1980s?

This happened to me too!!! I had 3 years of teaching that showed $0 on my record even though I DEFINITELY paid into SS during those years. I spent MONTHS trying to get it fixed. You need to get wage verification from your old employer ASAP - do you have any old W-2s or pay stubs from your police department? If you don't have documentation, you might need to contact the state employment department. Don't wait for them to just automatically fix it because they probably won't!

The impact on your benefit amount could be significant. Social Security calculates your benefits based on your highest 35 years of earnings. If you have 5 years currently showing as zeros that should actually show ~$26,000 each, replacing those zeros in your calculation would definitely increase your monthly payment. As for why they weren't counted: Were you in a state where police officers participate in a separate retirement system instead of Social Security? Some states have their own pension systems for law enforcement that don't contribute to SS. However, if you know you paid SS taxes during those years, then it's simply an error that needs correction. The note they mentioned likely relates to an ongoing wage investigation. These can take time to resolve but are usually backdated once completed.

You need to file Form SSA-7008 (Request for Correction of Earnings Record) right away. The fact that they mentioned a note on your record and potential backpay is promising - it suggests they're aware of the issue but haven't completed the investigation. Law enforcement earnings from the 1980s would be worth considerably more than their face value when translated to today's calculation formulas. $26,000 in 1985 was a solid middle-class salary, so yes, having five years of those earnings replace five zero years would make a meaningful difference in your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount). I'd estimate your monthly benefit could increase by $150-300 depending on your overall earnings history. This is because SS uses a weighted formula where every dollar counts, but early career earnings are indexed for inflation before calculating your benefits.

When I read ur post I thought maybe u worked under a pension system taht has the WEP rule? My husband was firefighter and his SS is reduced bc of his pension. Check if the windfall elimination provision applies 2 u.

Getting your earnings record corrected is so frustrating! I had to fix mine last year and the SSA phone lines were completely useless - couldn't get through for WEEKS. I finally used Claimyr.com to reach a real agent after trying for days on my own. They got me connected to an SSA rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU For your actual issue - yes, fixing 5 years of substantial earnings will definitely increase your payment. In my case, adding just 2 missing years increased my monthly payment by $147. The backpay will be nice too!

Have you considered that this might be due to the earnings limit? If you retired early and were working part-time, they may have reduced your benefits temporarily.

My dad had SAME EXACT ISSUE last year!!! His missing years were from military service though not police. The backpay was over $5000 when they finally fixed it!!!! But it took FOREVER (like 9 months) and he had to keep calling and bugging them. They are SO SLOW. Don't wait for them to do it automatically - you have to stay on top of it!!!

What I don't understand is how they can just LOSE 5 years of earnings??? This is our LIVES they're playing with! I bet they never lose track of the taxes we owe them!!! Sorry, I'm still bitter about my own experience with them...

To give you a more specific calculation: Social Security uses your highest 35 years of earnings (after indexing for inflation) to calculate your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). Then they apply a formula to your AIME to determine your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). If $26,000 in the 1980s is being replaced by zeros in your calculation, the impact is substantial. $26,000 in 1985 indexed to today would be worth approximately $70,000-$80,000 in the calculation. Over 5 years, that's a significant change to your AIME. Based on the information provided, I would expect an increase of $200-300 per month in your benefit, potentially more depending on your overall earnings record. The backpay from January 2024 alone could be $1,400-$2,100 so far.

Since you mentioned this was from the 1980s, there's an important time limitation to be aware of: Social Security generally has a 3 year, 3 month, and 15 day time limit for correcting earnings records. HOWEVER, this limit doesn't apply if the error is due to fraud, intentional misrepresentation, or clerical error by SSA. Given that they mentioned a note on your record, it sounds like they've already determined this falls under one of those exceptions. The best approach is to visit your local office with any documentation you might have (old tax returns, etc.). If you can't locate documentation, they can sometimes verify through employer records, especially for government positions like law enforcement.

Update your address with SSA if you've moved recently! I learned this the hard way - they were trying to send me documents about my earnings correction but had my old address. Almost delayed my whole case by months!

I went through something very similar about 3 years ago! Had 4 years of county government work that were showing as zeros even though I definitely paid into SS. The key thing that helped me was contacting the HR department of my old employer - they were able to provide a verification letter showing my employment dates and that FICA taxes were withheld. Even though it was from the early 90s, they still had the records in their system. For law enforcement positions, there's sometimes confusion because some departments participate in both SS and a pension system, while others opt out entirely. But since you remember seeing FICA deductions, you should definitely pursue this. The increase in my monthly benefit was about $180/month once they added those missing years, and I got backpay for almost 2 years. It's worth the hassle! Just be persistent with SSA - they move slowly but they will eventually get it right.