Retirement calculator
Social Security Claiming Age Calculator
When should I start Social Security?
Enter the benefit from your Social Security statement to see your monthly check at every age from 62 to 70, how much you would collect in total, and when waiting pays off.
What each claiming age pays
| Claim at | % of full benefit | Monthly check (today’s dollars) | Total to age 88 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | 70.0% | $2,100 | $955,382 |
| 63 | 75.0% | $2,250 | $996,624 |
| 64 | 80.0% | $2,400 | $1,033,546 |
| 65 | 86.7% | $2,600 | $1,086,895 |
| 66 | 93.3% | $2,800 | $1,134,319 |
| 67 | 100.0% | $3,000 | $1,175,604 |
| 68 | 108.0% | $3,240 | $1,225,663 |
| 69 | 116.0% | $3,480 | $1,268,024 |
| 70 | 124.0% | $3,720 | $1,302,411 |
Claiming at 67 instead of 62 catches up after age 76. If you are married and the higher earner, your benefit at the time of death becomes your spouse’s survivor benefit, which this single-person view does not show. See claiming at 62 vs. 70 for the trade-offs.
How the calculator works
It applies the Social Security Administration’s published formulas: the early-claiming reduction of 5/9 of 1% a month for up to 36 months and 5/12 of 1% a month beyond that, and delayed retirement credits of 2/3 of 1% a month up to age 70. Full retirement age comes from your birth year. Lifetime totals add every monthly check from the claiming age through the end of your planning age, raised once a year by your cost-of-living assumption.
It does not model taxes on benefits, the earnings test if you work before full retirement age, spousal or survivor benefits, or the investment value of receiving money sooner. See the 2026 planning numbers for related thresholds.
Frequently asked questions
How much does claiming at 62 reduce my benefit?
With a full retirement age of 67, claiming at 62 pays 70% of the full benefit. The reduction is 5/9 of 1% for each of the first 36 months before full retirement age and 5/12 of 1% for each month beyond that.
How much more do I get by waiting until 70?
Delayed retirement credits add 2/3 of 1% for each month after full retirement age, or 8% a year, so someone with a full retirement age of 67 receives 124% at 70.
What is the break-even age for Social Security?
It is the age at which the total received from claiming later catches up with the total from claiming earlier. For waiting from 62 to 70 it usually falls around age 80 to 83, depending on cost-of-living increases.
Does this include spousal or survivor benefits?
No. It shows one person’s own retirement benefit. A surviving spouse can receive the larger of the two benefits, which often makes delaying more valuable for the higher earner.
Where do I find my full retirement age benefit?
Sign in to your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Your statement shows estimated benefits at 62, at full retirement age and at 70.
Coordinating Social Security with the rest of the plan?
Claiming age interacts with Roth conversions, portfolio withdrawals and a spouse’s benefit. Tell us what you are weighing.
Submitting a question does not begin an advisory relationship.