Social Security Claiming Age Calculator
Compare claiming ages using your established age-67 retirement benefit. This page supports people born in 1960 or later and does not predict their earnings record.
Rule year: 2026 · USD · Sources checked
Estimated monthly retirement benefit at chosen age
Own retirement benefit, born in 1960 or later, FRA 67, whole completed claiming months from 62 through 70. Enter an independently established FRA benefit. No spouse/survivor/disability benefit, COLA, new earnings, life-expectancy break-even, tax or benefit-payment timing calculation.
For informational purposes only. This estimate is not financial advice, a tax return, a payroll calculation or a lender decision. See the supported circumstances and exclusions below.
How this calculator works
For the supported cohort, full retirement age is 67. Claiming earlier reduces a retirement benefit by 5/9 of 1% per month for the first 36 early months, then 5/12 of 1% per additional month. Waiting after 67 adds delayed credits of 2/3 of 1% per month, stopping at 70. Apply the adjustment to the age-67 benefit from your SSA estimate. The result is a percentage illustration before COLA, earnings-test withholding, taxes or SSA payment-rounding and credit-posting details.
Formula and rules
Early factor = 1 − min(early months, 36) × 5/900 − max(0, early months − 36) × 5/1200. Delayed factor = 1 + delayed months × 2/300, through age 70.
Assumptions and limitations
Own retirement benefit, born in 1960 or later, FRA 67, whole completed claiming months from 62 through 70. Enter an independently established FRA benefit. No spouse/survivor/disability benefit, COLA, new earnings, life-expectancy break-even, tax or benefit-payment timing calculation.
Worked example
With a $2,000 age-67 benefit, claiming at 62 illustrates 70%, or $1,400 monthly. Claiming at 70 illustrates 124%, or $2,480 monthly, before other adjustments.
- Estimated monthly retirement benefit at chosen age
- $1,400.00
- Percentage of full-retirement-age benefit
- 70%
- Annual equivalent before COLA and earnings test
- $16,800.00
- Full retirement age assumed
- 67; born in 1960 or later
Official sources and review
Reviewed against the sources below on 2026-10-06. Rates are held in versioned rule modules. Versioned rules, official source review and year-specific calculation tests.
- SSA: retirement benefits for people born in 1960 or later ↗
Full retirement age 67 and monthly early-claiming reductions.
- SSA: delayed retirement credits ↗
8% annual delayed credits for this cohort, credited monthly and capped at age 70.
Common questions
Can I use this if my full retirement age is not 67?
No. This tool supports the birth-1960-or-later cohort. Earlier birth years have different full retirement ages.
Does waiting beyond age 70 add credits?
No. Delayed retirement credits stop at 70; the calculator rejects additional months beyond that age.
Is the result the amount SSA will deposit?
It is an age-adjustment illustration. COLA, earnings, tax withholding, payment rounding and when delayed credits are posted can change deposited amounts.