At what age can I claim Social Security?

You can claim as early as 62, but your benefit is permanently reduced by about 25–30% versus your Full Retirement Age (FRA). For most people retiring now FRA is 67. Delaying past FRA earns Delayed Retirement Credits of 8% per year up to age 70 — so claiming at 70 instead of 62 boosts your monthly cheque by roughly 76%.

What is Full Retirement Age (FRA)?

FRA is the age at which you receive 100% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). For people born in 1960 or later (turning 65 in 2025+), FRA is 67. Born 1955–1959, FRA is 66 + 2–10 months. The Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act of 2000 means working past FRA no longer reduces benefits.

How is the benefit calculated?

The SSA averages your highest 35 years of indexed earnings (AIME) then applies a progressive formula to get your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). For 2026: 90% of the first $1,226 of AIME + 32% from $1,226 to $7,391 + 15% above. The formula favours lower-income workers. Claiming early/late then adjusts PIA up or down.

Should I claim at 62, 67 or 70?

It depends on life expectancy, health, marriage status and whether you need the income. The 'break-even' age between claiming at 62 vs 67 is around 78. Between 67 vs 70, around 82. If you expect to live to your late 80s, delaying usually wins. Married couples often have the higher earner delay (locks in the survivor benefit) and the lower earner claim earlier.

How accurate is this calculator?

This is an estimate using the 2026 PIA formula. The most accurate figure for your specific record is at ssa.gov via your my Social Security account, which uses your actual earnings history. Use this calculator for what-if planning across claim ages and to see the rough impact of higher / lower lifetime earnings.

Why don't my earnings above ~$176K count?

That's the Social Security wage base — the annual maximum on earnings subject to the 6.2% FICA Social Security tax. For 2025 the wage base is $176,100; it adjusts every January per the national wage index. Earnings above the cap are not taxed for Social Security and do not count toward your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME), so they don't increase your retirement benefit. High earners typically max out their PIA once their career earnings consistently exceed the wage base.

🇺🇸 Social Security Benefits Calculator

Estimate your monthly US Social Security benefit at age 62, Full Retirement Age and age 70 using the 2026 SSA Primary Insurance Amount formula.

Year of Birth

Average Annual Earnings ($)Wage-indexed average of your highest 35 years.

⚠️ Estimate only. Uses 2026 PIA bend points ($1,226 / $7,391) and 35-year averaging. For your real benefit, log into ssa.gov/myaccount. Spousal, survivor and disability benefits not modelled. Not financial advice.

How Social Security Calculates Your Benefit

The Social Security Administration uses a three-step formula. First, it indexes your earnings each year for wage growth and averages your highest 35 years to get your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). Second, it applies a progressive "bend point" formula to AIME to compute your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA):

90% of the first $1,226 of AIME
32% of AIME between $1,226 and $7,391
15% of AIME above $7,391

Third, it adjusts PIA based on the age you actually claim — reduced for early claiming, increased for delayed claiming.

The Wage Base — Why High Earnings Stop Counting

Each year SSA sets a contribution and benefit base (the "wage base") — the annual maximum on earnings subject to the 6.2% FICA Social Security tax. For 2025 it's $176,100; the figure adjusts each January per the national wage index. Three things follow:

Earnings above the wage base are not taxed for Social Security.
Earnings above the wage base do not count toward your AIME and therefore do not increase your retirement benefit.
The maximum possible PIA at FRA in 2026 is roughly $4,194/month — reached by anyone who consistently earns at or above the wage base for 35 years.

If you enter average earnings above the wage base, this calculator automatically caps them and shows a warning explaining what was ignored.

Full Retirement Age (FRA)

FRA depends on your birth year. For people born in 1960 or later, FRA is 67. The SSA calls this "100% of PIA." Anyone born 1943–1954 has FRA 66; in between is 66 plus 2–10 months.

Early vs Delayed Claiming

Age 62 (earliest): ~70–75% of PIA — permanent reduction
Full Retirement Age: 100% of PIA
Age 70 (latest worth waiting for): 124–132% of PIA via Delayed Retirement Credits (8%/year past FRA)

Claiming at 70 instead of 62 typically results in a monthly benefit roughly 76% larger, for life. The "break-even" age (where total cumulative benefits cross over) is around 78 vs 62, and around 82 vs 67.

Strategy for Married Couples

The classic move is to have the higher earner delay to 70 (locks in the maximum survivor benefit, which the lower-earning spouse keeps for life if widowed) and the lower earner claim earlier for cash flow. This combination usually produces the highest total household lifetime benefit unless one spouse has a serious health condition.

Working While Claiming Before FRA

If you claim before FRA and keep working, the SSA withholds $1 of benefits for every $2 earned over $22,320 (2025 figure, adjusts annually). The withheld amount is recovered after FRA in higher monthly cheques — it's not lost — but the cash-flow hit can be significant.

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Important Note: This calculator is for US Social Security only. Spousal, survivor, ex-spouse, child, and disability benefits use different rules. Up to 85% of benefits can be federally taxable depending on your "combined income." For a binding strategy consult a CFP or use ssa.gov's official Quick Calculator with your actual earnings record.

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