How to use the Social Security calculator
- Enter your benefit at full retirement age, also called your primary insurance amount (PIA). Your Social Security statement at ssa.gov/myaccount shows it.
- Enter your year of birth. If you were born on January 1, enter the year before.
- Choose the age you start benefits, in years and months.
- Optionally add a yearly COLA to the break-even ages.
- Read your monthly benefit, the table for every age from 62 to 70, and the ages at which waiting pays more in total.
The calculator doesn't estimate your PIA from your earnings. That needs your full earnings record, and the statement figure is more accurate.
How the benefit is adjusted
Your full retirement age depends on your birth year, under the Social Security Administration's rules:
| Year of birth | Full retirement age |
|---|---|
| 1943–1954 | 66 |
| 1955 | 66 and 2 months |
| 1956 | 66 and 4 months |
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months |
| 1960 or later | 67 |
Each month you claim before that age cuts the benefit by 5/9 of 1% for the first 36 months and 5/12 of 1% after that. Each month you wait past it adds a delayed retirement credit of 2/3 of 1%, which is 8% a year, until age 70. The rules come from SSA's early retirement and delayed retirement pages. Like SSA, the calculator rounds each benefit down to the dime.
Worked example
The defaults are a PIA of $2,000, born in 1964, starting at 65.
- Full retirement age for 1964: 67, so 65 is 24 months early
- Reduction: 24 × 5/9 of 1% = 13.33%
- Benefit: $2,000 × (1 − 0.1333) = $1,733.33, rounded down to $1,733.30
At 62 (60 months early) the cut is 36 × 5/9% + 24 × 5/12% = 20% + 10% = 30%, so the benefit is $1,400.00. Waiting to 70 adds 36 months × 2/3% = 24%, giving $2,480.00.
Break-even: starting at 65 instead of 62 means $333.30 more a month but 36 fewer payments ($50,400 at $1,400). The extra $333.30 a month makes up that $50,400 after 152 payments, at age 77 and 8 months. Waiting from 67 to 70 pays off at 82 and 6 months.
How to choose a claiming age
Break-even ages are a starting point, not the whole answer. Think about:
- Health and family history. If you expect to live well past your early 80s, waiting usually pays more in total.
- Your spouse. A survivor can receive the larger of the two benefits, so the higher earner delaying to 70 protects the surviving spouse.
- Work. Before full retirement age, SSA temporarily withholds some benefits if your earnings pass a yearly limit.
- Other savings. Drawing on a 401(k) or IRA first to delay Social Security is a common strategy; the retirement calculator shows how long savings last.
Benefits also rise each year with the cost-of-living adjustment: 2.8% for 2026, and SSA has announced 3.6% for 2027. Because COLAs apply to your benefit whichever age you choose, they move the break-even ages only slightly later.
Frequently asked questions
What is the earliest age I can claim Social Security?
You can start retirement benefits at 62, but they are permanently reduced: by 30% if your full retirement age is 67. Survivor and disability benefits follow different rules and can start earlier.
Does waiting past 70 increase my benefit?
No. Delayed retirement credits stop at 70, so there is no benefit to waiting longer. Apply for benefits a few months before you turn 70 so payments start on time.
Where do I find my PIA?
Sign in to your my Social Security account at ssa.gov and open your statement. It lists your estimated monthly benefit at 62, at full retirement age and at 70, all in today's dollars. The full-retirement-age figure is your PIA.
Why is my actual check lower than the calculator shows?
Medicare Part B premiums are usually deducted from your benefit, and SSA rounds the payment down to the whole dollar. Tax withholding, if you request it, also reduces the deposit.
Related calculators
- Retirement Calculator — See what your savings grow to by retirement, how long they last, and how much more to save each month.
- Pension Calculator — Lump sum or monthly pension? Compare the present value of the payments with the lump sum and find your break-even age.
- 401(k) Calculator — Project your 401(k) balance with your employer match, salary raises and the 2026 IRS contribution limits.
- RMD Calculator — Your required minimum distribution from an IRA or 401(k) for any year, using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial, tax or legal advice. See our disclaimer.