The older you get, the more attention you pay to that little love note you get from Social Security every year...  In the U.S. everyone who earns taxable income gets a statement of how much money they have made in their lifetime.  By year.

My first reported income was in 1968. I made $521 and in 1969, I made $738.  In the olden days, getting paid under the table was pretty common.  The jobs I had in high school were all under the table.  I worked in a dress shop and on Saturday afternoon, Mrs. Thalheimer, who owned the joint, would dig into the register and pay me with small, unmarked bills.  I babysat and, of course, none of that was taxed.  And I had a few other odds and ends of jobs that were all pretty much tax free.  1968 was my first year of college and clearly, I had some kind of high paying job.  I cannot remember for the life of me what it was. 

This report also spells out what benefits you could get now and what the projected ones will be for the future.  I could start drawing benefits in as few as 6 years.  Or if I become disabled, I can start drawing benefits immediately.

But, wait, there's more!

My spouse or minor child, can haul in a one time death benefit of $255!!!  That should draw me some hefty marriage proposals... Come on, dudes (sorry, I live in Washington state, any spouse of mine must have a penis), step up and grab your cash.  All you have to do is marry me and knock me off (not up, off - I think if you knock me up, you'd have to split the $255).