About the Social Security Calculator
This Social Security calculator estimates your monthly retirement benefit from your average earnings, the number of years you have worked and the age you plan to claim. It follows the Social Security Administration’s method: it averages your indexed earnings over your 35 highest years (AIME), applies the benefit formula to get your primary insurance amount (PIA), then reduces or increases it depending on whether you claim before or after full retirement age.
Use it to compare claiming at 62, at full retirement age or at 70, to see how much a few more working years add, and to estimate lifetime benefits to a chosen age. The chart shows your monthly benefit at every claiming age from 62 to 70.
Figures use the 2026 bend points ($1,286 and $7,749, which SSA applies to workers who turn 62 in 2026) and the 2026 taxable maximum of $184,500 — the latest SSA has published; 2027 figures are announced in October 2026. Because bend points rise with national wages, applying today’s bend points to earnings in today’s dollars gives an estimate in today’s dollars, with no cost-of-living adjustments. Enter earnings already adjusted to today’s wage level for the best estimate; your my Social Security statement shows your actual record. Spousal, survivor and disability benefits, the earnings test and taxation of benefits are not included.
With the default inputs, the estimated monthly benefit is $2,745.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the social security calculator
- 1Enter your average yearly earnings in today’s dollars and how many years you have worked or will work.
- 2Enter your birth year so the calculator can find your full retirement age.
- 3Choose the age (and months) at which you plan to claim.
- 4Set a life expectancy to compare lifetime totals.
- 5Use the chart and table to compare claiming at 62, full retirement age and 70.
Formula and method
AIME is your average indexed monthly earnings over your 35 highest years: here, average yearly earnings (capped at the taxable maximum) × years worked (max 35) ÷ 35 ÷ 12. The primary insurance amount (PIA) applies the progressive 2026 formula above, so lower earners replace a larger share of their income.
Claiming before full retirement age cuts the PIA by 5/9 of 1% per month for the first 36 months and 5/12 of 1% for each extra month (up to 30% at 62 when FRA is 67). Each month you delay past FRA adds 2/3 of 1% (8% a year) until age 70. Benefits are rounded down to the dollar.
- AIME
- Average indexed monthly earnings over the top 35 years
- PIA
- Primary insurance amount — your benefit at full retirement age
- FRA
- Full retirement age (67 if born 1960 or later)
Worked examples
$75,000 average earner claiming at 67
An AIME of $6,250 gives a PIA of 90% × $1,286 + 32% × $4,964 = $2,745.80. Claiming at full retirement age 67 pays the full amount, $2,745 a month, or about $592,920 by age 85.
Claiming early at 62
Claiming 60 months early reduces the benefit by 20% for the first 36 months and 10% for the remaining 24 — a 30% cut to $1,922 a month. Even with five extra years of checks, the total to age 85 is lower.
Higher earner delaying to 70
At $150,000 the AIME is $12,500 and the PIA is $3,938.20. Waiting 36 months past full retirement age adds 24% in delayed retirement credits, for $4,883 a month.
Frequently asked questions
How is my Social Security benefit calculated?+
SSA indexes your past earnings to today’s wage level, averages your 35 highest years into a monthly figure (AIME), and applies a three-tier formula (90%, 32%, 15%) to get your primary insurance amount. That amount is then reduced for early claiming or increased for delaying.
What is my full retirement age?+
Full retirement age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. It is 66 for people born 1943–1954 and rises by two months per birth year from 66 and 2 months (1955) to 66 and 10 months (1959).
How much less do I get if I claim at 62?+
If your full retirement age is 67, claiming at 62 permanently reduces your benefit by 30%. The cut is 5/9 of 1% for each of the first 36 months early and 5/12 of 1% for each additional month.
How much more do I get by waiting until 70?+
Delayed retirement credits add 8% per year (2/3 of 1% per month) after full retirement age until 70. With an FRA of 67, waiting to 70 raises your benefit to 124% of your PIA. There is no benefit to waiting past 70.
What is the maximum Social Security benefit?+
The maximum depends on claiming age and requires earning at or above the taxable maximum for 35 years. Because AIME is capped by the taxable maximum ($184,500 in 2026), benefits level off for high earners and the 15% tier limits further gains.
Is this the same as my SSA statement?+
No — this is a simplified estimate from an average. Your my Social Security account at ssa.gov uses your actual indexed earnings record and is the authoritative estimate. Use this tool to understand trade-offs between claiming ages.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.