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Social Security Calculator

Estimate your US Social Security retirement benefit and see how claiming earlier or later changes it.

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Social Security Calculator

Estimate your retirement benefits based on claim age & earnings

$0
Estimated Monthly Benefit
Based on claim at age 67
Annual Benefit
$0
FRA Benefit %
100%
Years to Claim
0
Benefit Comparison by Claim Age

For most US retirees, Social Security is the floor the rest of the plan stands on, and its size depends mainly on two things: your earnings history and the age you claim. This calculator estimates the monthly benefit under different claiming ages, so the trade-off is visible in numbers.

How to use this calculator

  • Enter your average yearly earnings and years worked (or your estimated benefit at full retirement age, if known).
  • Choose a claiming age.
  • Press calculate to see the estimated monthly benefit.

Claiming age is a lever, not a detail

Claiming at 62 takes a permanently reduced benefit; waiting toward 70 raises it substantially, roughly 8% per year of delay past full retirement age under current rules. Health, other income and a spouse's situation all bear on the choice, but the calculator's side-by-side figures are where the discussion should start.

Frequently asked questions

What is full retirement age?
For most people now approaching retirement it is 66 to 67, depending on birth year, under current US law. Benefits are calculated relative to it.
How is the benefit based on earnings?
Generally on your highest 35 years of earnings, indexed and averaged through a formula that replaces a higher share of lower earnings.
Is Social Security taxed?
It can be, partially, depending on your total income in retirement. Many retirees pay tax on part of the benefit; planning withdrawals with that in mind helps.