Social Security Calculator
See how the age you claim changes your monthly Social Security check. Enter your benefit at full retirement age, choose a claiming age, then press Calculate to compare.
Written by TopicDrill Editorial Team·Updated June 2026
Monthly benefit by claiming age
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How the Social Security calculator works
Your benefit is anchored to a single number: the amount you would receive at full retirement age. From there, the timing of your claim moves it up or down. The tool starts with the figure from your Social Security statement, then applies the official reduction for claiming early and the delayed-credit increase for waiting, month by month.
The chart lines up your monthly benefit at every age from 62 to 70 so the trade-off is easy to see. Your chosen age is highlighted in solid orange, while the lighter bars show what the other ages would pay. Each year you wait lifts the bar, up to the cap at 70.
A quick example
Suppose your statement shows $2,000 a month at a full retirement age of 67. Claim at 62 and that drops to roughly $1,400, a permanent 30 percent cut. Wait until 70 and the same record pays about $2,480, because three years of 8 percent delayed credits stack on top of the full amount.
Things to keep in mind
The best claiming age depends on your health, savings, spouse, and whether you keep working, so treat this as a starting point rather than advice. For the official rules and your personal estimate, visit the Social Security Administration. To see how the benefit fits into your broader nest egg, try our retirement calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is full retirement age?
Full retirement age, or FRA, is the age at which you receive 100 percent of your earned Social Security benefit. For people born in 1960 or later it is 67, and for those born from 1943 through 1954 it is 66, with a sliding scale in between. Claiming exactly at FRA gives you the full amount.
How much does claiming early reduce my benefit?
Claiming before full retirement age cuts your benefit by five ninths of one percent per month for the first 36 months early, then five twelfths of one percent for each additional month. At age 62 with an FRA of 67 that works out to a permanent reduction of about 30 percent.
Is it worth waiting until 70?
Delaying past full retirement age earns delayed retirement credits of about 8 percent per year, or two thirds of one percent per month, until you turn 70. Waiting raises your monthly check for life, which can pay off if you expect a long retirement, but credits stop accruing at age 70.
Is this an official Social Security estimate?
No. This tool applies the standard early-reduction and delayed-credit rules to a benefit figure you provide, so it is an educational estimate only. For your personalized numbers, create a my Social Security account and use the official statement from the Social Security Administration.
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