Compare U.S. Social Security retirement claiming ages. The ideal-age mode applies the SSA early-claim reductions and delayed credits from age 62 through 70; the comparison mode uses benefit estimates from your Social Security statement.
Examples
Born in 1970
Full retirement age is 67. Claiming at 62 is about 70% of the full benefit, age 68 is about 108%, and age 70 is about 124% before later COLAs.
Two statement estimates
Comparing $1,600 at age 62 with $2,810 at age 70, at 5% return and 3% COLA, produces a crossover near age 82 using the reference assumptions.
Formula
Benefits claimed early are reduced for every month before full retirement age. Benefits delayed after full retirement age earn delayed credits through age 70. The calculator then applies COLA to future checks and the entered investment return to compare their values over the chosen lifetime.
Sources and limits
The factors follow SSA's early and delayed retirement rules and full retirement age chart. Enter benefit estimates from your my Social Security account when comparing actual dollar amounts. The model compares retired-worker benefits only; it does not calculate your earnings record or PIA, and it excludes the earnings test, spouse and survivor coordination, taxes, Medicare premiums, disability benefits, and month-specific filing effects.