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Calculators

Social Security Claiming Age Calculator

See your monthly Social Security benefit at every age from 62 to 70 and the break-even age for waiting, using the official SSA rules.

Figures checked: October 2026 · Methodology and sources

Monthly benefit at that age
1,400.00
Share of the full benefit
70 %
At 62
1,400.00
At 67
2,000.00
At 70
2,480.00
Waiting until 67 pays off after age
79

For people born in 1960 or later (full retirement age 67), in today's dollars, before cost-of-living increases and Medicare premiums. Your statement on ssa.gov has your full benefit.

When to claim Social Security

You can start Social Security retirement benefits at any age from 62 to 70, and the age you pick changes your monthly check for life. If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is 67. Claim earlier and the check is smaller; wait and it grows.

The rules are set by law:

  • Before full retirement age, the benefit drops by 5/9 of 1 % for each of the first 36 months early and 5/12 of 1 % for each month beyond that. At 62 you get 70 % of your full amount.
  • After full retirement age, you earn delayed retirement credits of 8 % a year, up to age 70. At 70 you get 124 %.
  • Waiting past 70 adds nothing.

Enter your benefit at full retirement age, which you can find on your Social Security statement at ssa.gov. The calculator shows your monthly benefit at every age from 62 to 70 and the break-even age: how long you need to live for waiting to pay off in total dollars received. It leaves out cost-of-living raises, taxes and spousal benefits, which can all affect the best choice for you.

Frequently asked questions

What is the break-even age?

It is the age at which the larger checks from claiming later have made up for the years of smaller checks you skipped. If you expect to live past it, waiting pays more in total. If not, claiming earlier does.

Can I keep working and collect benefits before 67?

Yes, but if you are under full retirement age and earn more than $24,480 in 2026, Social Security holds back $1 for every $2 above the limit. Those months are not lost: your benefit is recalculated upward when you reach full retirement age.

Do cost-of-living increases change the answer?

Not much. Cost-of-living raises apply as a percentage to whatever benefit you receive, so they grow early and late checks alike. They make every amount bigger in dollars, but they do not move the break-even age.

Indicative results. This is not financial advice.

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