The average Social Security retirement benefit is around $1,907 per month in 2024, but your own check will depend on your work history, when you claim, and whether you have already started receiving benefits.
The $1,907 figure is a national average — it includes people who claimed at 62, at 67, and at 70, so it does not tell you what you personally will receive. Someone who worked 40 years at higher wages will receive more. Someone who took time out of the workforce will receive less. Someone who delays claiming past their full retirement age will receive more than the average. Someone who claims at 62 will receive less.
Your actual benefit amount is calculated by Social Security based on your earnings record, not by a formula you can reverse-engineer from the average. The only way to know your number is to check your own Social Security statement or contact Social Security directly.
Key Takeaways
- The national average retirement benefit in 2024 is approximately $1,907 per month, but this average includes people who claimed at different ages and had different work histories.
- Your personal benefit depends on how much you earned over your working years, how many years you worked, and what age you claim benefits.
- You can view your estimated benefit on your Social Security statement, which you can access online through my Social Security or request by mail.
- Claiming before your full retirement age (62 to 67, depending on your birth year) permanently reduces your monthly payment; claiming after increases it.
How Social Security calculates your personal benefit
Social Security looks at your 35 highest-earning years of work. If you worked fewer than 35 years, zeros are added for the missing years, which lowers your average. The agency then adjusts those earnings for inflation and calculates your Primary Insurance Amount — the benefit you would receive if you claim at your full retirement age.
Your full retirement age depends on your birth year. For people born in 1943 to 1954, it is 66. For people born in 1955, it is 66 and two months. For people born in 1960 or later, it is 67. If you claim before that age, your monthly payment is permanently reduced. If you claim after, it increases by roughly 8 percent per year until age 70.
Self-employment income, military service, and government work can all affect your benefit, but the basic rule is straightforward: more years of earnings, and higher earnings in those years, mean a higher benefit.
Why the average does not predict your benefit
The $1,907 average includes retired workers, disabled workers, and survivors — not just people who claimed at 67. It also reflects the fact that people who are still working have not yet claimed, so the average skews toward people who claimed earlier and therefore receive smaller checks.
If you worked steadily at median or above-median wages for 35 or more years and plan to claim at your full retirement age, your benefit will likely be close to or above the average. If you had gaps in your work history, took time to raise children, or worked at lower wages, your benefit will likely be below the average. If you plan to delay claiming past 67, your benefit will be higher than the average.
How to find your estimated benefit
The most accurate way to learn what you will receive is to check your own Social Security statement. You can create an account at ssa.gov and log into my Social Security to view your statement online. The statement shows your earnings record, your full retirement age, and your estimated benefit at different claiming ages — typically 62, your full retirement age, and 70.
If you do not have an online account, you can request a paper statement by mail from Social Security, though it may take several weeks to arrive. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to ask about your benefit, though wait times are often long.
Your statement is updated once per year, usually in September. If you are within a few years of claiming, check it annually to make sure your earnings record is correct — errors can lower your benefit permanently if not caught before you claim.
What happens to your benefit if you claim early
If you claim at 62 — the earliest age allowed — your monthly payment is reduced by roughly 30 percent compared to what you would receive at 67. At 70, it is roughly 24 percent higher than at 67. These reductions and increases are permanent; they do not change once you start receiving benefits.
The trade-off is between a smaller check now and a larger check later. If you live to your mid-80s, waiting to claim usually results in more total money over your lifetime. If you have health problems or family history of shorter lifespans, claiming earlier may make more sense. Social Security has a break-even calculator on its website if you want to explore this decision.
Factors that change your benefit amount
If you earned income from self-employment, you may have paid higher Social Security taxes, which can increase your benefit. If you worked for a government employer and did not pay Social Security taxes on that job, your benefit may be reduced by the Government Pension Offset or the Windfall Elimination Provision — two rules that explore to a small number of people.
If you are married, you may be may have access to to a spousal benefit based on your spouse's earnings record, but only if that benefit is higher than your own. If you are divorced, you may be may have access to to a benefit based on an ex-spouse's record if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and you are at least 62.
Cost-of-living adjustments, or COLA, happen once per year, usually in October. Your benefit increases by the same percentage as the COLA, which varies year to year depending on inflation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is $1,907 the amount everyone gets?
No. The $1,907 is a national average. Individual benefits range from around $900 per month to over $3,800 per month, depending on work history and claiming age. Your benefit is based on your own earnings record, not on this average.
How much will I get if I claim at 62?
Your benefit at 62 will be roughly 30 percent lower than your full retirement age benefit. To see your specific amount, check your Social Security statement online or call Social Security. The statement shows your estimated benefit at different ages.
Does working longer increase my benefit?
Yes. Social Security uses your 35 highest-earning years. If you work longer and earn more than you did in earlier years, those higher earnings can replace lower-earning years in the calculation, raising your benefit. Each additional year of work can increase your benefit by 1 to 2 percent.
Can I see my benefit before I turn 62?
Yes. Your Social Security statement shows your estimated benefit at ages 62, your full retirement age, and 70. You can view it anytime through my Social Security online or request a paper statement by mail. The estimate updates once per year.
What if my earnings record has errors?
Contact Social Security to correct errors before you claim. Mistakes in your earnings record can permanently lower your benefit. You can report errors through my Social Security online, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office.