Social Security Benefit Estimator

Enter your date of birth and average career earnings. See your estimated monthly check at 62, full retirement age, and 70.

Your Social Security benefit depends on your 35 highest-earning years and the age you claim. This estimator gives you a rough figure using your average career earnings and the official SSA benefit formula. For most people, the benefit replaces roughly 25% to 40% of pre-retirement income, with lower earners receiving a higher percentage than higher earners.

Your real Social Security benefit is calculated from your actual 35 highest-earning years, adjusted for wage growth. This tool uses a simpler stand-in: your average annual earnings across your career, treated as a flat number. That makes it a solid ballpark figure, not an exact one. Enter your date of birth and your average career earnings below to see an estimate at three claiming ages.

Estimate Your Benefit

Calculate Monthly Social Security Check

This estimator follows the same formula the Social Security Administration uses, with one simplification. First, it converts your average annual earnings into a monthly figure, standing in for your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). The real AIME comes from your 35 highest-earning years, each adjusted for historical wage growth. This tool skips that step and uses a flat average instead. Second, it runs that number through the actual 2026 benefit formula: 90% of the first $1,286, 32% of earnings between $1,286 and $7,749, and 15% of anything above that, up to the taxable maximum. This produces your Primary Insurance Amount, or PIA, the benefit you'd receive at full retirement age. Third, it adjusts for claiming age. Claim before full retirement age and the benefit is permanently reduced. Claim after, up to age 70, and it's permanently increased. Those adjustment percentages are exact, not simplified. The one meaningful simplification is the earnings input. If you worked fewer than 35 years, your real benefit will likely be lower than this estimate, since the SSA fills in zero-earning years for any missing ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is this Social Security benefit estimator?

It uses the real SSA benefit formula but simplifies your earnings history into a single average figure instead of your actual 35-year record. Treat the result as a ballpark estimate, not an exact figure. For a precise number, check your personal earnings record at ssa.gov/myaccount.

What percentage of my salary will Social Security replace?

It varies by income level. Lower earners typically see 40% to 50% of their pre-retirement income replaced, while higher earners typically see 25% to 30%, because the benefit formula is progressive.

Does Social Security use my highest-paying years or my most recent years?

Neither exclusively. It uses your 35 highest-earning years across your entire career, each adjusted for wage growth up to the year you turn 60.

What if I worked fewer than 35 years?

The Social Security Administration still divides by 35 years (420 months). Any missing years count as zero earnings, which lowers your average and your benefit. Working additional years, even part-time, can replace a zero year and raise your benefit.

Is there a maximum Social Security benefit?

Yes. It's based on the taxable maximum earnings each year ($184,500 in 2026). Earning above that amount does not increase your benefit further, since it isn't taxed for Social Security or credited toward your record.

Should I claim at 62, at full retirement age, or at 70?

It depends on your health, other income, and how long you expect to live. Claiming early locks in a permanently smaller check for more years; waiting locks in a permanently larger check for fewer years. There is no single right answer for everyone.