For most of the last century, 65 has been considered the standard retirement age in the United States, but that doesn’t mean most Americans actually retire at that age. In 1992, for example, the average retirement age in the U.S. was 62 for men and 59 for women, according to a Forbes report that cited data from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.
Since then, the average retirement age has ticked closer to what used to be considered the norm. In 2001, the average retirement age was 63 for men and 60 for women, and nine years later those averages rose to 64 and 62, respectively. The average retirement age was 61 in 2022.
Of course, just because you retire at 65 doesn’t mean you have to start collecting Social Security benefits at that age. You can wait until as late as age 70 — something many Americans do, because the longer you wait, the higher your monthly payment.
For those who are collecting Social Security at age 65, the average payment in 2022 was about $2,484 a month, according to the Social Security Administration. That’s based on the agency’s estimate that the average annual benefit was $29,806 for Social Security recipients who are age 65. The average yearly benefit for 65-year-olds in 2023 has risen to $30,708, or $2,559 a month.
Those numbers are much higher than the average monthly benefit for all Social Security recipients, which was $1,693.88 as of February 2023, according to the SSA. The difference is due to a number of factors — including the fact that recipients younger than 65 typically get lower payments.
Average benefits for 65-year-olds have been on the rise for a couple of decades in terms of current dollars. But when you adjust for inflation, the payments have been moving lower in recent years. According to the SSA, the estimated average yearly benefit for recipients aged 65 in constant 2001 dollars is as follows:
2020: $15,313
2021: $15,269
2022: $15,230
2023: $15,189
2024: $15,142
Although the SSA implements yearly cost-of-living adjustments to help beneficiaries deal with inflation, those adjustments aren’t always effective in combating the actual inflation rate. Look no further than 2022, when the COLA was 5.9% but the actual inflation rate was running above 8% for much of the year.
If you are approaching age 65 and want to get an estimate of your Social Security benefits, the AARP recommends using its ownSocial Security Benefits Calculatoror checking your onlineMy Social Security account. The latter option bases the estimate on your earnings record on file with the SSA. With the AARP calculator, you’ll need to provide your average annual income.
The average yearly benefit for 65-year-olds in 2023 has risen to $30,708, or $2,559 a month. Those numbers are much higher than the average monthly benefit for all Social Security recipients, which was $1,693.88 as of February 2023, according to the SSA.
If you have a personal my Social Security account, you can get an estimate of your future retirement benefits and see the effects of different retirement age scenarios. If you don't have a personal my Social Security account, create one at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
The maximum Social Security benefit at full retirement age is $3,822 per month in 2024. It's $4,873 per month in 2024 if retiring at age 70 and $2,710 if retiring at age 62. A person's Social Security benefit amount depends on earnings, full retirement age and when they take benefits.
Social Security's special minimum benefit pays at least $49.40 per month in 2023 and $50.90 in 2024. Social Security's special minimum benefit tops out at $1,033.50 per month in 2023 and $1,066.50 in 2024. You'll receive 100% of the benefit if you file at full retirement age or later.
2022. Meanwhile, the average Social Security check for the 2.27 million retired workers at age 66 is $1,719.85. Lastly, the close to 2.96 million retired-worker beneficiaries who were 70 years old in Dec. 2022 were bringing home $1,963.48.
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, you are entitled to full benefits when you reach your full retirement age. If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to age 70, your benefit amount will increase.
Social Security bases your retirement benefits on your lifetime earnings. We adjust or “index” your actual earnings to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. Then we calculate your average indexed monthly earnings from your highest 35 years of earnings.
This calculation looks at years of coverage in place of someone's earnings to estimate how much they might receive from Social Security. For 2024, the special minimum benefit starts at $50.90 for someone with 11 years of coverage and goes to $1,066.50 for workers with 30 years of coverage.
Bottom Line. Yes, Social Security is taxed federally after the age of 70. If you get a Social Security check, it will always be part of your taxable income, regardless of your age. There is some variation at the state level, though, so make sure to check the laws for the state where you live.
Social Security survivors benefits are paid to widows, widowers, and dependents of eligible workers. This benefit is particularly important for young families with children.
We: Base Social Security benefits on your lifetime earnings. Adjust or “index” your actual earnings to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. Calculate your average indexed monthly earnings during the 35 years in which you earned the most.
But even if you never worked and therefore don't have an earnings record, you're not necessarily out of luck. If you're married (or were married) to someone who's entitled to Social Security, you can collect spousal benefits equal to 50% of your husband or wife's benefits at full retirement age.
Social Security offers a monthly benefit check to many kinds of recipients. As of December 2023, the average check is $1,767.03, according to the Social Security Administration – but that amount can differ drastically depending on the type of recipient. In fact, retirees typically make more than the overall average.
Social Security benefits are typically computed using "average indexed monthly earnings." This average summarizes up to 35 years of a worker's indexed earnings. We apply a formula to this average to compute the primary insurance amount (PIA). The PIA is the basis for the benefits that are paid to an individual.
If your pay at retirement will be $100,000, your benefits will start at $2,026 each month, which equals $24,315 per year. And if your pay at retirement will be $125,000, your monthly benefits at the outset will be $2,407 for $28,889 yearly.
The 1983 overhaul of Social Security gradually raised the age to 67, which it reached in 2022 for those born in 1960 or later — effectively cutting benefits by 13 percent as compared to benefits if the retirement age had remained at 65.
The general rule is that Social Security benefits replace about 40% of pre-retirement income. With $30,000 in annual income, that means you could receive an estimated $12,000 per year in Social Security payments, without adjusting for inflation.
Let's say you consider yourself the typical retiree. Between you and your spouse, you currently have an annual income of $120,000. Based on the 80% principle, you can expect to need about $96,000 in annual income after you retire, which is $8,000 per month.
Introduction: My name is Kareem Mueller DO, I am a vivacious, super, thoughtful, excited, handsome, beautiful, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
