Social Security Calculator: How Much Will I Get?
Most Social Security calculators ask for your benefit amount before they will tell you anything. This one works it out from your earnings, using the same 2026 formula the Social Security Administration uses.
Nothing is stored and no signup is needed to see your result. Estimates only — not investment or tax advice.
Hans Goldstein
Founder & Executive Director · Retirement Literacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
The number above is only half the decision — when you claim it changes the total by six figures for most people, and the wrong year can also push your Medicare premium up. Put your name below and I’ll send the one-page claiming checklist. Reply with your situation and I’ll tell you what I’d look at first.
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Common questions
How is my Social Security benefit calculated?
SSA averages your highest 35 years of earnings, indexed for wage growth, into a monthly figure called your AIME. It then applies three brackets: 90% of the first $1,286, 32% of the amount between $1,286 and $7,749, and 15% above that. The result is your benefit at full retirement age.
What if I worked fewer than 35 years?
The missing years are counted as zeros and averaged in, which pulls the benefit down. Working an additional year late in your career can replace a zero or a low year and raise the figure.
How much more do I get by waiting until 70?
For someone with a full retirement age of 67, claiming at 62 pays 70% of your benefit and waiting to 70 pays 124%. That is roughly 77% more per month, for life — but you collect for eight fewer years.
Is this the same as the SSA estimate?
Close, but not identical. SSA indexes each individual year of your earnings for wage growth; this calculator uses your career-average salary as a stand-in. Your exact number is free at ssa.gov/myaccount.
Will my benefit be taxed?
Often, yes. Up to 85% of your benefit can be taxable depending on your provisional income. Our Social Security tax calculator shows how much of yours the IRS keeps.
Related free tools
- Social Security Tax Calculator: what the IRS keeps
- Claiming Calculator: file at 62, 67 or 70
- Retirement Calculator: will your money last?
- Survivor Benefit Calculator: the widow's penalty
The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. This calculator is general financial education, not individualized investment, tax, or insurance advice. Projections assume a steady rate of return; real markets vary year to year. Consider speaking with a licensed professional before making decisions.