Payroll errors, employer acquisitions, and provider changes can silently zero out an entire wage year in your Social Security earnings record. He trusted the pay stubs, filed his taxes, and never thought about what landed in his Social Security record. Sign in to a my Social Security account and compare every completed year with the corresponding W-2 or tax return. If something is wrong, request a correction online when available or contact Social Security. His Social Security record deserved one afternoon of inspection.