Social Security Calculator
Estimate your monthly Social Security retirement benefit. Enter your current age, birth year, average annual earnings, and planned claiming age to see your estimated benefit — and how timing affects your payments.
When Should You Claim Social Security?
| Claiming Age | Effect on Benefit |
|---|---|
| 62 (earliest) | Reduced by up to 30% |
| 67 (full retirement age, born 1960+) | 100% of benefit |
| 70 (maximum) | Increased by 24% (8%/yr after FRA) |
Frequently Asked Questions
For people born in 1960 or later, FRA is 67. For those born 1943–1954, it's 66. For 1955–1959, it gradually increases from 66 to 67.
It depends on your health and finances. Waiting until 70 gives the highest monthly payment. If you have health issues or need income, claiming early may make sense. The break-even point for waiting from 62 to 70 is typically around age 80–82.
This is an approximation using average earnings. The SSA uses your actual 35 highest-earning years indexed for inflation. For an accurate estimate, create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov.