Social Security Calculator
A simplified estimate of your monthly Social Security retirement benefit from career-average earnings and claiming age — not an official SSA projection.
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Ready when you are
Adjust the inputs on the left to see your estimated monthly benefit.
This is a simplified estimate, not an official benefit statement. The Social Security Administration computes your real benefit from your top 35 years of inflation-indexed earnings; this calculator approximates that history with a single career-average number so you can explore claiming strategies in seconds. For your official projection, create a my Social Security account at SSA.gov.
How it's calculated
Social Security converts career earnings into a monthly benefit in two steps — an earnings average (AIME) and a progressive benefit formula (PIA):
AIME = min(average annual earnings, $184,500 wage base) / 12
PIA = 90% × first $1,287 of AIME
+ 32% × AIME between $1,287 and $7,758
+ 15% × AIME above $7,758
benefit = PIA × claiming factor
(62 → 0.70, 67 → 1.00, 70 → 1.24)
The $1,287 and $7,758 figures are the 2026 "bend points," which track the national Average Wage Index, and $184,500 is the 2026 Social Security taxable wage base — earnings above it neither pay the 6.2% tax nor add to your benefit. The bend-point structure is deliberately progressive: lower earners get back a much larger share of their wages than higher earners.
Claiming age then scales the result. For workers born in 1960 or later, full retirement age (FRA) is 67. Claiming at 62 permanently cuts the check by about 30%; waiting until 70 earns delayed retirement credits of 8% per year, a permanent 24% raise.
Assumptions and limitations
- A flat career-average stands in for the SSA's top-35 indexed earning years; uneven careers (gaps, late peak earnings) will diverge from this estimate.
- Bend points and the wage base are 2026 values; both rise most years with wage growth, and annual COLA increases after claiming are not modeled.
- Spousal, survivor, and disability benefits, the earnings test before FRA, WEP/GPO-style offsets, and taxation of benefits are out of scope.
- Eligibility requires 40 work credits (roughly 10 working years).
Treat the output as a planning ballpark — useful for comparing 62 vs. 67 vs. 70 — and confirm real numbers with SSA.gov before making a claiming decision.
Frequently asked questions
Is this my actual Social Security benefit?
No — it is a simplified estimate. The SSA computes your real benefit from your top 35 years of inflation-indexed earnings. Check your official estimate at SSA.gov.
How much is my benefit reduced if I claim at 62?
For anyone with a full retirement age of 67 (born 1960 or later), claiming at 62 reduces the monthly benefit by about 30% — permanently. This calculator applies a 0.70 factor.
How much more do I get by waiting until 70?
Delayed retirement credits add 8% per year between 67 and 70, for a permanent 24% increase over your full-retirement-age benefit. There is no benefit to delaying past 70.
What are Social Security bend points?
They are the dollar thresholds in the progressive benefit formula. In 2026 you earn 90% of your first $1,287 of average monthly earnings, 32% of the amount up to $7,758, and 15% above that — so lower earners get a higher replacement rate.
Why is my input capped at $184,500?
That is the 2026 Social Security taxable wage base. Earnings above it are not subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax and do not increase your benefit.
Will my benefit grow with inflation after I claim?
Yes — benefits receive an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) based on CPI-W. This calculator shows today's dollars and does not project future COLAs.
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Results from this calculator are estimates for informational use only — not financial, medical, or professional advice. Read our full disclaimer before acting on any number you see here.