Social Security Calculator
Estimate your Social Security monthly benefit using the 2026 PIA formula with bend points $1,174 and $7,078. Compare claiming at 62, 67, or 70. Calculate spousal benefits, lifetime totals, and break-even age.
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Estimated Monthly Benefit
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Annual Benefit —
Reduction / Increase vs FRA —
Primary Insurance Amount (PIA at 67) —
Extended More scenarios, charts & detailed breakdown ▾
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Adjusted Monthly Benefit
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Estimated AIME —
Estimated PIA at FRA —
Professional Full parameters & maximum detail ▾
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Benefit Calculation
Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) —
Monthly Benefit at Selected Age —
Estimated Lifetime Benefit —
Strategy Comparison
Monthly Benefit at Alternative Age —
Lifetime Benefit at Alternative Age —
Break-Even Age (vs earlier claiming) —
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your AIME (from your Social Security statement at ssa.gov) and claiming age to see your estimated benefit immediately.
- Use the Estimate Benefit tab to estimate from your current annual earnings if you don't know your AIME.
- Use the Early vs Late tab to compare monthly and lifetime benefits at ages 62, 67, and 70.
- Use the Spousal Benefit tab to determine whether the lower earner should claim their own benefit or 50% of the higher earner's PIA.
- Use the Professional tab for lifetime benefit projections with COLA, break-even age analysis, and a full strategy comparison.
Formula
PIA = 90% × min(AIME, $1,174) + 32% × min(max(AIME−$1,174,0), $5,904) + 15% × max(AIME−$7,078, 0)
Early claim reduction: 5/9% per month (first 36 months), 5/12% per month (beyond 36 months)
Delayed credit: +8% per year past FRA (up to age 70)
Early claim reduction: 5/9% per month (first 36 months), 5/12% per month (beyond 36 months)
Delayed credit: +8% per year past FRA (up to age 70)
Example
Example: AIME = $5,000. PIA = 90% × $1,174 + 32% × ($5,000 − $1,174) = $1,056.60 + $1,224.32 = $2,281/month at 67. Claiming at 62: −30% = $1,597/month. Waiting to 70: +24% = $2,828/month.
Frequently Asked Questions
- The SSA calculates your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) using your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) and a bend-point formula. For 2026: 90% of the first $1,174 of AIME + 32% of AIME from $1,174 to $7,078 + 15% of AIME above $7,078. The PIA is your benefit at your Full Retirement Age (67 for those born after 1960).
- Claiming at 62 (5 years before FRA of 67) permanently reduces your benefit by about 30%. For the first 36 months early, your benefit is reduced 5/9 of 1% per month; for months 37–60 early, it is reduced 5/12 of 1% per month. This reduction is permanent and applies to all future payments.
- For each year you delay past your FRA (67), your benefit increases by 8% — this is the Delayed Retirement Credit. Waiting from 67 to 70 gives you 24% more per month, permanently. The break-even age (where total lifetime benefits equal those of claiming earlier) is typically around age 80–83.
- A spouse who has not worked or has a lower benefit can claim up to 50% of the higher-earning spouse's PIA at their own FRA. If the lower earner claims early, the spousal benefit is also reduced. The SSA pays the higher earner's own benefit first, then tops it up to the spousal amount if the spousal benefit would be higher.
Related Calculators
Sources & References (5) ▾
- SSA — Retirement Benefits: How They Are Calculated — Social Security Administration
- SSA — Online Benefits Calculators — Social Security Administration
- SSA — Full Retirement Age Chart — Social Security Administration
- IRS — Social Security Benefits Taxation (Topic 423) — Internal Revenue Service
- Department of Labor — Social Security and Retirement — U.S. Department of Labor