Social Security Benefit Estimator 2026
Estimate your monthly Social Security retirement benefit based on your earnings history and planned retirement age. Uses the 2026 SSA bend points and PIA formula with early and delayed retirement adjustments. Your data stays in your browser and is never sent to any server.
Your Information
How Social Security Benefits Are Calculated
Your Social Security retirement benefit is based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which the Social Security Administration calculates from your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). The SSA takes your highest 35 years of earnings, adjusts them for wage inflation, and averages them to produce a monthly figure. The PIA formula applies three bend-point percentages to your AIME: 90% of the first $1,174, plus 32% of AIME between $1,174 and $7,078, plus 15% of AIME above $7,078. These bend points are indexed annually to national average wages. Based on SSA 2026 bend points (approximate). Last updated: May 2026.
Full Retirement Age by Birth Year
Your Full Retirement Age depends on when you were born. For anyone born in 1960 or later, FRA is 67. Born between 1955 and 1959, FRA gradually increases from 66 and 2 months to 66 and 10 months. Born in 1954 or earlier, FRA is 66. Claiming before FRA permanently reduces your benefit, while delaying past FRA earns delayed retirement credits of 8% per year up to age 70. The difference between claiming at 62 versus 70 can be more than 75% of your monthly benefit amount.
Early vs Delayed Retirement
Claiming Social Security at 62 means accepting roughly 30% less than your FRA benefit for the rest of your life. Each month before FRA reduces your benefit by 5/9 of 1% for the first 36 months and 5/12 of 1% for additional months. Conversely, delaying past FRA adds 8% per year in delayed retirement credits up to age 70. A worker with a $2,000 PIA at FRA would receive about $1,400 at 62 or $2,480 at 70. The breakeven age where delayed claiming overtakes early claiming is typically around 80-82, making the decision partly about life expectancy and partly about cash flow needs.
Maximizing Your Social Security Benefit
Several strategies can boost your lifetime Social Security income. Working at least 35 years ensures no zero-earning years drag down your average. Higher-earning years later in your career replace lower-earning early years in the calculation. Married couples can coordinate claiming strategies where the higher earner delays to 70 while the lower earner claims earlier. If you continue working after claiming before FRA, the earnings test may temporarily withhold benefits, but those are restored at FRA. Understanding how Social Security interacts with pensions, 401(k) withdrawals, and Medicare IRMAA brackets helps you build a comprehensive retirement income plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PIA (Primary Insurance Amount)?
PIA is the base monthly benefit amount calculated from your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) using the SSA bend-point formula. It equals your benefit at Full Retirement Age. Claiming earlier reduces it, and delaying past FRA increases it with delayed retirement credits of 8% per year up to age 70.
When is my Full Retirement Age (FRA)?
For anyone born in 1960 or later, FRA is 67. For those born between 1943 and 1954, FRA is 66. Between 1955 and 1959, FRA increases by 2 months per year (66 and 2 months for 1955, up to 66 and 10 months for 1959). FRA is the age at which you receive 100% of your PIA.
How much do I lose claiming at 62?
Claiming at 62 with a FRA of 67 reduces your benefit by approximately 30%. This reduction is permanent for the rest of your life. The exact reduction is 5/9 of 1% per month for the first 36 months before FRA and 5/12 of 1% per month for additional months before that.
Does working after 62 affect my benefits?
If you claim benefits before FRA and continue working, the earnings test applies. In 2026, if you earn more than approximately $22,320, $1 in benefits is withheld for every $2 over the limit. In the year you reach FRA, the limit is higher and only $1 per $3 is withheld. After FRA, there is no earnings test, and withheld benefits are restored.
What is the maximum Social Security benefit in 2026?
The maximum benefit depends on your claiming age and lifetime earnings. For someone claiming at FRA in 2026 with maximum taxable earnings over 35 years, the maximum monthly benefit is approximately $4,018. At age 70 with delayed credits, it can exceed $4,900 per month.
How are Social Security benefits taxed?
Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits may be subject to federal income tax depending on your combined income (AGI + nontaxable interest + half of SS benefits). If combined income exceeds $34,000 for singles or $44,000 for married filing jointly, up to 85% of benefits are taxable. Some states also tax Social Security benefits.