Social Security Calculator
Estimate your monthly Social Security retirement benefit from your earnings and claiming age.
Results update as you type.
About this calculator
This Social Security calculator gives a simplified estimate of your U.S. retirement benefit from your average earnings and the age you claim. It converts your average annual earnings into an average indexed monthly amount (AIME), applies the benefit formula — the 90% / 32% / 15% bend-point brackets — to get your primary insurance amount (PIA), then adjusts for claiming age.
Claiming before full retirement age (FRA) permanently reduces the benefit, while delaying past FRA adds delayed-retirement credits up to age 70. For example, someone with 60,000 of average earnings and an FRA of 67 might see a full benefit near their PIA at 67, about 30% less if they claim at 62, and roughly 24% more if they wait to 70 — the schedule lists all three.
Use it to weigh claiming early against waiting, and to get a ballpark of your monthly and yearly benefit. It is an estimate only: the real figure comes from your full 35-year indexed earnings record and current wage-base and bend-point values, which change each year.
Frequently asked questions
How is the benefit estimated?
Your earnings are turned into an average indexed monthly amount (AIME), then the benefit formula applies 90% to the first band, 32% to the middle band and 15% above to get the primary insurance amount (PIA) — your full benefit at full retirement age. This is a simplified version of the official calculation.
How much does claiming age change my benefit?
Claiming at 62 permanently cuts the benefit by about 30%, while waiting past full retirement age adds 8% a year up to age 70. The schedule shows the benefit at 62, your full retirement age and 70.
What is full retirement age (FRA)?
FRA is the age at which you receive 100% of your primary insurance amount, currently 66 to 67 depending on birth year. Claim before it and each month early trims the benefit; claim after and you earn delayed credits. Set the FRA field to match your birth year for a closer estimate.
Should I claim Social Security at 62 or wait?
Claiming at 62 gives smaller cheques for longer; waiting to 70 gives larger cheques for fewer years. Waiting pays off if you live past your break-even age (often around the late 70s to early 80s) or want a larger inflation-protected income later in life.
How are my earnings turned into a benefit?
Your career earnings become an average indexed monthly amount (AIME), then the benefit formula credits 90% of the first band, 32% of the middle band and 15% above to produce your PIA. The progressive brackets mean lower earners get back a larger share of their earnings.
Why is this only an estimate?
The real calculation uses your highest 35 years of inflation-indexed earnings and the exact wage base and bend points for your year, which update annually. This tool uses your single average-earnings figure and fixed brackets, so treat its output as a planning ballpark, not an official figure.
API — use this calculator from code
Call this calculator as a free JSON endpoint — no key required. Send the field values below as query parameters or JSON. Read the full API docs →
Endpoint
GET https://calculator.free/api/v1/social-security/curl
curl "https://calculator.free/api/v1/social-security/?income=60000&claim_age=67"JavaScript fetch()
const r = await fetch(
"https://calculator.free/api/v1/social-security/?" + new URLSearchParams({
"income": "60000",
"claim_age": "67"
}));
const data = await r.json();
console.log(data.results);Results are estimates for general guidance only, not financial, medical or tax advice.