Social Security Break-Even Calculator (2026)

Benefits received by each birthday
Age	Claim at 62	Claim at 67	Claim at 70
70	$134,400	$72,000	$0
75	$218,400	$192,000	$148,800
80	$302,400	$312,000	$297,600
85	$386,400	$432,000	$446,400
90	$470,400	$552,000	$595,200
95	$554,400	$672,000	$744,000
100	$638,400	$792,000	$892,800

The short answer

Social Security break-even ages are useful—but they are not a claiming recommendation.

For someone whose full retirement age is 67, claiming at 62 generally provides 70% of the full retirement benefit. Waiting until 70 generally provides 124%. The early claimant receives eight years of checks before the age-70 claimant starts, while the later claimant receives a larger check for the rest of life.

Under that simple comparison, age 67 catches age 62 at approximately 78 years and 8 months. Age 70 catches age 62 at approximately 80 years and 4 months, and age 70 catches age 67 at approximately 82 years and 6 months.

A useful way to read the result

The crossover answers one narrow question.

It tells you when the larger delayed check has replaced the cumulative payments you gave up while waiting. It does not tell you which age is automatically best for your household.

Living beyond the crossover favors the later path in raw cumulative benefits.
Needing income sooner may make the earlier path more practical.
For couples, the higher earner's decision may affect future survivor income.

How the Social Security break-even calculator works

The calculator starts with your estimated monthly retirement benefit at age 67. For the age-67 example, it models age 62 at 70% of that amount and age 70 at 124%. It then adds monthly payments from each claiming age and finds the point where the later path catches the earlier path.

Simplified crossover method

early checks received while waiting ÷ larger monthly check difference

For a $2,000 benefit at 67, claiming at 62 produces about $1,400 per month and claiming at 70 produces about $2,480. By age 70, the age-62 path has received approximately $134,400. The age-70 check is $1,080 larger per month, so it takes a little over 124 months to close that head start.

Social Security claiming ages in 2026

Social Security retirement benefits can generally begin at 62. The Social Security Administration states that full retirement age is 67 for people attaining age 62 in 2026, and its benefit tables show a 30% reduction for claiming at exactly 62 when full retirement age is 67. Delayed retirement credits increase a worker's benefit after full retirement age and stop at age 70.

Age-67 example used by this calculator
Claiming age	Share of age-67 benefit	If age-67 benefit is $2,000	Received by age 70
62	70%	$1,400/month	$134,400
67	100%	$2,000/month	$72,000
70	124%	$2,480/month	$0

If you were born before 1960, your full retirement age may be earlier than 67 and the percentages can differ. In that case, use the amounts shown in your official Social Security estimate rather than treating this 62/67/70 example as your exact award calculation.

Why claiming at 62 can lead for many years

Starting at 62 creates a large payment head start. By the time the age-67 path begins, the early claimant has already received five years of checks. By age 70, the early claimant has received eight years. The later check must first replace those skipped payments before it creates a cumulative advantage.

An earlier claim can be relevant when income is needed immediately, health is poor, employment has ended unexpectedly, or delaying would require uncomfortable withdrawals from savings. But continuing to work before full retirement age can trigger the retirement earnings test. For 2026, SSA lists an annual exempt amount of $24,480 for people under full retirement age, with different treatment during the year full retirement age is reached.

Why waiting until 67 or 70 can still be valuable

Waiting increases the recurring monthly benefit rather than creating a one-time gain. That can provide more dependable income at advanced ages, when a household may be less able or willing to rely on investment withdrawals. Delaying beyond 70 does not earn additional delayed retirement credits.

The raw break-even calculation also ignores how the bridge is funded. Spending traditional IRA money while waiting can affect taxes. Using taxable savings or Roth money can produce a different result. Investment returns on early checks may move the crossover later, while taxes or spending the checks immediately may produce another outcome.

Couples should compare two lives, not one break-even point

A spouse's maximum living-spouse benefit is generally based on up to half of the worker's full-retirement-age amount, not the worker's larger delayed amount. Survivor treatment is different: SSA explains that delayed retirement credits can be reflected in a surviving spouse's benefit. That makes the higher earner's claiming age a household protection decision as well as a personal cumulative-benefit comparison.

The Couple & survivor view adds a quick comparison of two worker benefits and shows why delaying the higher earner may raise the possible survivor floor. The household Snapshot goes further: it can model different ages, auxiliary spousal benefits, individual claiming dates, taxes, withdrawals, and the transition to one survivor benefit after a spouse dies.

Taxes can change the practical result

Federal taxation depends on Social Security benefits and other household income. The IRS explains that the taxable portion can depend on one-half of benefits plus other income, including tax-exempt interest. Claiming earlier or later may therefore interact with IRA withdrawals, Roth conversions, work income, and filing status.

This public break-even calculator does not estimate that tax interaction. It displays gross benefits in today's dollars so the claiming-age tradeoff remains visible. Use it as a first comparison, then test the decision inside a complete retirement-income plan.

Social Security break-even calculator FAQ

What is the Social Security break-even age for 62 versus 67?

In the simplified age-67 example used by this calculator, claiming at 67 catches the cumulative benefits from claiming at 62 at about age 78 years and 8 months. Taxes, investment returns, work, and family benefits can change the broader decision.

What is the break-even age for Social Security at 62 versus 70?

Using the standard 70%, 100%, and 124% benefit relationship for a worker with full retirement age 67, age 70 catches age 62 at about age 80 years and 4 months.

What is the break-even age for 67 versus 70?

In the same simplified comparison, claiming at 70 catches claiming at 67 at about age 82 years and 6 months.

Does my monthly benefit change the break-even age?

It changes every dollar result, but not the crossover ages in this simplified model. The age-62 and age-70 benefits are fixed percentages of the same age-67 amount, so scaling all checks together preserves the crossover.

Does this calculator include Social Security COLAs?

The calculator displays today's-dollar benefits and assumes the same cost-of-living adjustment would apply to each claiming path. It does not forecast future COLAs, inflation, or a future change in Social Security law.

What does the calculator leave out?

It does not include taxes, investing early checks, the retirement earnings test, continued work, Medicare premiums, auxiliary spousal-benefit rules, detailed survivor timing, or the withdrawals needed while delaying. Those factors belong in a household retirement projection.

Can couples use this Social Security calculator?

Yes. Switch to Couple & survivor to compare two estimated worker benefits and see how delaying the higher earner may increase the surviving spouse's possible monthly benefit. The quick view excludes age gaps, auxiliary spousal benefits, taxes, work reductions, and the timing of a death.

Where do I find my benefit at full retirement age?

Use your personal my Social Security account or an official SSA calculator. Confirm whether the estimate assumes you keep earning your current salary before entering it here.

Official sources

Educational use only. This is a simplified gross-benefit comparison, not financial, tax, or legal advice and not an SSA benefit determination. It assumes full retirement age 67, constant real monthly benefits, and no taxes, investment return, earnings test, family-benefit interaction, or change in law. Verify your personal amounts with the Social Security Administration.

Should you claim Social Security at 62, 67, or 70?