My mother was recently notified that she doesn’t have enough work credits to get full retirement. How can she update the records and obtain her full benefits even though she doesn’t have checks stubs or the W2’?

Hi. The only way to get missing earnings added to your Social Security earnings record is by submitting acceptable evidence to Social Security. The evidence must show the amount of earnings and the amount of Social Security taxes withheld or paid on those earnings.

Preferred evidence of wages is a copy of your W-2 form, although secondary evidence may be acceptable. Preferred evidence of self-employment earnings is a copy of Schedule SE from your tax return, along with proof that the required self-employment taxes were paid to the IRS. Types of secondary evidence of wages that may be acceptable are described in the following section of Social Security's operations manual: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0301403052.

Best, Jerry