Estimate your monthly Social Security retirement benefit using the 2025 SSA formula. See your benefit at every claiming age from 62 to 70 — and find out when waiting actually pays off.
Your earnings & retirement plan 2025 SSA formula
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Your career average salary. SSA uses top 35 years.
SS needs 40 credits (≈10 years) to qualify
$
Optional — enables spousal benefit check
Your benefit at chosen age
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Maximum (age 70)
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Earliest (age 62)
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Your AIME estimate
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Break-even age (62 vs chosen)
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Benefit by claiming age — full comparison
Claiming age
Monthly benefit
Annual benefit
Lifetime total (to age 85)
vs. age 62
Frequently asked questions
How does Social Security calculate my benefit? ›
The SSA takes your highest 35 years of inflation-adjusted earnings and calculates your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). They then apply a progressive formula with "bend points" to calculate your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) — the benefit you'd receive at your Full Retirement Age (67 for those born in 1960 or later). Claiming before or after FRA adjusts that PIA up or down.
When should I start taking Social Security? ›
Claiming at 62 permanently reduces your benefit by up to 30%. Waiting until 70 increases it by up to 32% above your FRA amount (8% per year). The break-even age — where waiting pays off — is typically around 80-82. If you expect to live past that, waiting generally puts more money in your pocket over your lifetime. Financial need, health, and spousal considerations all factor in.
What is the spousal benefit? ›
A spouse can receive up to 50% of your Full Retirement Age benefit, even if they never worked. If your spouse's own benefit is less than 50% of yours, they receive the higher spousal amount automatically. Spousal benefits don't increase by waiting past FRA — but your own benefit does, so if you're the higher earner, delaying benefits both of you.
Does working while collecting Social Security reduce my benefit? ›
Before your Full Retirement Age (67), the SSA temporarily withholds $1 of benefits for every $2 you earn above $22,320 (2025). In the year you reach FRA, the limit rises to $59,520 and only $1 is withheld per $3 earned. After FRA there is no earnings limit. Withheld benefits are not lost — they're added back to your monthly amount when you reach FRA.
Is Social Security taxable? ›
Potentially yes. If your "combined income" (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of Social Security benefits) exceeds $25,000 (single) or $32,000 (married filing jointly), up to 50% of your benefits may be taxable. Above $34,000 single / $44,000 married, up to 85% may be taxable. Many retirees are surprised by this — factor it into your retirement income planning.
About this Social Security calculator
This calculator uses the 2025 SSA benefit formula — including the three bend points — to estimate your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) and show how it changes at every claiming age from 62 to 70. The lifetime total column helps you decide whether waiting to claim is worth it based on your expected lifespan.
Get your official estimate
Create a free account at ssa.gov/myaccount to see your official Social Security Statement, which shows your actual earnings record and a more precise benefit estimate. This calculator is a close approximation based on your inputs, but your actual benefit depends on your complete earnings history on file with the SSA.