You can claim your Social Security benefit as early as age 62. But should you?
Fortunately, technology provides an estimate of what your monthly check will look like to help you decide.
These Online Calculators Can Help Plan Retirement
Keep in mind that all the information and estimates you get are just that — estimates. Don’t treat them as must-follow facts. Instead, use the information as one factor to use as you look down the road and plan for your retirement.
SSA Calculators
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers several online calculators to help you plan your retirement.
Why are there so many calculators? Because some pull your records for a more granular answer while others don’t. You may want to try them all. Or you may just want to cherry-pick those that seem easiest to use.
Retirement Estimator
The Retirement Estimator calculator offers estimates of your benefit based on your actual Social Security earnings record.
You’ll need to fill out your name, mother’s maiden name, Social Security number, date of birth and place of birth to get your estimate.
Social Security Quick Calculator
Don’t want to put too much information out there online? The Quick Calculator may be the right choice for you.
Just provide your date of birth, current year earnings and your future retirement date (the latter is optional). You’ll be able to see your benefit estimate in either today’s dollars or inflated future dollars.
Early or Late Retirement Calculator
Wondering if you should collect Social Security benefits sooner or later in life? The Early or Late Retirement Calculator helps show you the benefits of collecting Social Security earlier in retirement or later. You’ll see the impact of your choice to help you decide the best time to start collecting.
Benefits for Spouses Calculator
You can calculate the effects of early retirement on your spouse’s benefits by using this calculator.
SSA Online Calculator
If you like to pour over numbers, this is the calculator for you. The SSA Online Calculator offers one of the most granular assessments so far.
One special note: Do not attempt to get a calculation of your benefits without first pulling up your online Social Security statement. You’ll need it to enter all your annual earnings from 1951 to 2016 and your online Social Security statement contains all the information. And now’s a good time to make sure you’ve set up your “mySocialSecurity” account.
Detailed Calculator
Want an even deeper read of your records and the likely Social Security benefit you can expect? Try the Detailed Calculator, which digs into your earnings record on file with the SSA.
This calculator is only available as a download to your desktop computer.
Other Government Calculators
CFPB Calculator
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has a calculator to help you determine the optimal time to start taking Social Security.
The Planning for Retirement tool allows you to pop in your specifics to get a detailed answer.
Third-Party Calculators
Fidelity Calculator
Fidelity has long advised about how much of your salary you should save for retirement, broken down by age.
The investment company has an online calculator to help you decide when to claim your Social Security benefit.
AARP Calculator
AARP’s interactive calculator allows you to pop in your specifics and it will give you a decision tree to help you figure out the optimal time to take Social Security.
Bankrate Calculator
Bankrate’s online calculator gets a bit more detailed. It allows you to enter in any expected salary increases and expectations about rates of inflation down the road to deliver a more robust estimate.
When are you planning to take Social Security? Share your opinion in our Clark.com community!
