When to Apply for Social Security in 2025 or 2026 and How
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Your actual benefit may be lower or higher than estimate made with this calculator, because it does not take into account your actual earnings history.
We assume you have earnings every year until you begin receiving Social Security benefits. If you had several years of noncovered employment or your earnings changed significantly from year to year, this calculator will overestimate or underestimate your benefit.
This is your estimated benefit
if you begin taking Social Security at age 62
This is your estimated benefit
if you begin taking Social Security at age 67
Estimated benefits from age 62 to 70
Social Security break-even age
Your break-even point is the age at which the cumulative amount you may receive if you file later equals the cumulative amount you may receive if you file early. It signifies the point at which it may "pay off" to wait.
Age 77.5 is the age at which the total number of dollars you receive if you retire at age 70 exceeds the total number of dollars you'll receive if you retire at 67.
About these results
We estimated and then indexed your past earnings by using your current annual salary, the national average wage indexing series and the Social Security Administration's annual wage base.
We assume that people age 18 to 22 are less likely to have full-time earnings.
Future earnings are based on correct annual salary and expected annual salary increase.
With the exception of the indexing factor applied to past earnings, the calculations do not include an inflation rate. The results are presented in today's dollars.
- If your birthday falls between the 1st and the 10th of the month, you’ll receive your benefits on the second Wednesday of the following month.
- If your birthday falls between the 11th and the 20th of the month, you’ll receive your benefits on the third Wednesday of the following month.
- If your birthday falls between the 21st and the 31st of the month, you’ll receive your benefits on the fourth Wednesday of the following month.
What's your financial need?
- About you: Your date and place of birth and Social Security number (including if you've used a different Social Security number), your citizenship status, your original birth certificate or other proof of birth and proof of U.S. citizenship or authorization to work in the U.S.
- About your current and/or former spouse: Names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth or ages, dates and places of marriage and dates of divorce or death (if applicable).
- About your children: Names of any unmarried children under 18; or under 19 and in elementary, middle or high school; or children with disabilities that started before age 22.
- Previous Social Security applications: If you or someone else filed for Social Security benefits, Medicare or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) on your behalf, you'll need to provide additional information.
- Where benefits should be directed: Routing and account information for your bank or other financial institution.
- When benefits begin: You'll need to indicate which month you want your retirement benefits to kick in. Also, if you're within three months of turning 65, you'll need to indicate whether you wish to enroll in Medicare Part B to get medical insurance coverage.
- Your employer: Name and address of your employer (or employers) for the current year and last year.
- Your earnings: The amount you earned last year and this year. You may be asked for copies of W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns for the past year. You'll also need to provide a copy of your Social Security statement or a record of your earnings. You can find your Social Security statement online by creating an account with the Social Security Administration. If you don't have a record of your earnings, you should still fill out the application.
- Special work or benefits history: You'll be asked for the start and end dates of any U.S. military service from before 1968 and a copy of your military service papers, whether you or your spouse ever worked for the railroad industry and whether you'll get a pension or annuity from a job with the federal government. You'll also be asked if you earned Social Security credits under another country's social security system.
- Your ability to work: You'll need to say if you were unable to work because of illnesses, injuries or conditions within 14 months of your application. If you couldn't work during that period, you'll need to provide the date you became unable to work.
Article sources
- 1. SSA.gov. Plan for retirement. Accessed Oct 29, 2025.
- 2. SSA.gov. Retirement Benefits. Accessed Oct 29, 2025.
- 3. SSA.gov. Information You Need To Apply For Retirement Benefits Or Medicare. Accessed Oct 29, 2025.
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