Social Security Calculator: Estimate Your Monthly Retirement Benefit

Estimate your monthly Social Security retirement benefit from your average earnings and the age you plan to start. The calculator applies the Social Security benefit formula with the 2026 bend points, your full retirement age, and the reduction for claiming early or the credit for waiting until 70. Example: someone with $75,000 of average indexed earnings over 35 years gets about $2,745 a month at full retirement age.

How to use the Social Security Benefit Calculator

1. Enter your birth year, which sets your full retirement age.
2. Enter the average of your highest 35 years of earnings and how many years you worked.
3. Pick the age at which you plan to start benefits (62 to 70).
4. Press Calculate to compare your monthly benefit at different start ages.

Formula and method

AIME = Total indexed earnings of your top 35 years / 420 months

PIA = 90% × first $1,286 + 32% × AIME between $1,286 and $7,749 + 15% × AIME above $7,749 (2026 bend points)

Claiming early cuts the benefit by 5/9 of 1% per month for the first 36 months and 5/12 of 1% for each month beyond. Waiting past full retirement age adds 2/3 of 1% per month (8% a year) up to age 70. Earnings above the 2026 taxable maximum of $184,500 are not counted.

Frequently asked questions

What is my full retirement age?

If you were born in 1960 or later it is 67. For 1955 to 1959 it rises by two months per year from 66 and 2 months to 66 and 10 months.

Should I claim at 62 or wait until 70?

Claiming at 62 gives a smaller check for more years; waiting raises the monthly amount by about 8% per year after full retirement age. The best age depends on health, other income and spouse benefits.

How accurate is this estimate?

It is a simplified estimate. It treats your earnings as already indexed to current wages and ignores future COLAs, spousal and survivor benefits, and the earnings test.

Are Social Security benefits taxable?

Up to 85% of benefits can be taxable federal income depending on your total income.

Sources

• SSA: Benefit calculation bend points
• SSA: Contribution and benefit base

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