What Is Social Security?
Social Security is a federal program that provides retirement, disability and survivor benefits to eligible workers and their families.
Retirement benefits are generally based on your lifetime earnings record and the age when you begin receiving payments.
For many retirees, Social Security becomes one part of a broader income plan that may also include pensions, 401(k)s, IRAs, annuities and personal savings.
Why Understand Social Security?
Explore Social Security Benefits
Compare Social Security Claiming Ages
| Claiming Option | Benefit Level | Monthly Income | Common Consideration |
| Early Claiming | Reduced | Lower | Receive benefits sooner |
| Full Retirement Age | Standard | Full calculated benefit | No early-claim reduction |
| Delayed Claiming | Increased | Higher | Larger future monthly benefit |
Social Security Benefit Amounts
Your Social Security retirement benefit can vary based on your earnings history, claiming age and other personal factors.
Your benefit may depend on factors such as:
- Lifetime earnings
- Work history
- Claiming age
- Full retirement age
- Spousal benefits
- Survivor benefits
- Cost-of-living adjustments
- Continued employment
Current Social Security Key Figures
Review current Social Security limits, benefit thresholds and annual adjustments. These figures are published by the Social Security Administration and update automatically when new annual data is released.
| Social Security Figure | 2026 Amount |
|---|---|
| Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) | 2.8% |
| Maximum Taxable Earnings | $184,500 |
| Earnings Limit — Under Full Retirement Age | $24,480 / year |
| Earnings Limit — Year Full Retirement Age Is Reached | $65,160 / year |
| Maximum Monthly Benefit at Full Retirement Age | $4,152 / month |
Data year:
2026
Update frequency:
Annually
Automatic refresh:
This table checks for updated SSA data every 24 hours.
Source:
Social Security Administration
—
View official SSA figures
Social Security benefits and limits can change each year. Individual benefits depend on earnings history, claiming age and other eligibility factors.
Estimated Average Monthly Social Security Benefits
See estimated average monthly Social Security benefits payable in January 2026 after the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment.
| Beneficiary Type | Estimated Average Monthly Benefit |
|---|---|
| All Retired Workers | $2,071 / month |
| Retired Couple, Both Receiving Benefits | $3,208 / month |
| Widowed Parent and Two Children | $3,898 / month |
| Widow(er) Alone | $1,919 / month |
| Disabled Worker and Family | $2,937 / month |
| All Disabled Workers | $1,630 / month |
Data year:
2026
COLA:
2.8%
Update frequency:
Annually
Automatic refresh:
This table checks for updated SSA data every 24 hours.
Source:
Social Security Administration
—
View official SSA figures
These are estimated average Social Security benefits payable in January 2026 after the 2.8% COLA. Individual benefits vary based on earnings history, claiming age and eligibility.
Social Security Disability & SSI Limits
Review key 2026 Social Security disability and Supplemental Security Income limits, including substantial gainful activity, trial work period thresholds, SSI payment standards and resource limits.
| 2026 Limit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Substantial Gainful Activity — Non-Blind | $1,690 / month |
| Substantial Gainful Activity — Blind | $2,830 / month |
| Trial Work Period Threshold | $1,210 / month |
| SSI Federal Payment — Individual | $994 / month |
| SSI Federal Payment — Couple | $1,491 / month |
| SSI Resource Limit — Individual | $2,000 |
| SSI Resource Limit — Couple | $3,000 |
| SSI Student Earned-Income Exclusion — Monthly | $2,410 |
| SSI Student Earned-Income Exclusion — Annual | $9,730 |
Data year:
2026
Update frequency:
Annually
Automatic refresh:
This table checks for updated SSA data every 24 hours.
Source:
Social Security Administration
—
View official SSA figures
These figures are general Social Security and SSI thresholds. Eligibility and benefit calculations depend on individual circumstances and applicable SSA rules.
How Claiming Age Affects Social Security Benefits
Social Security retirement benefits can start as early as age 62. Claiming before full retirement age reduces the monthly benefit, while delaying beyond full retirement age can increase it up to age 70.
| Claiming Age | Approx. Benefit vs. Full Retirement Benefit | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Age 62 | 70.0% | Reduced benefit |
| Age 63 | 75.0% | Reduced benefit |
| Age 64 | 80.0% | Reduced benefit |
| Age 65 | 86.7% | Reduced benefit |
| Age 66 | 93.3% | Reduced benefit |
| Age 67 | 100.0% | Full retirement benefit |
| Age 68 | 108.0% | Delayed retirement credit |
| Age 69 | 116.0% | Delayed retirement credit |
| Age 70 | 124.0% | Delayed retirement credit |
Applies to:
Workers born in 1960 or later
Full retirement age:
67
Maximum delayed increase:
Through age 70
Source:
Social Security Administration
—
View SSA early-retirement rules
|
View SSA delayed-retirement credits
Percentages are approximate and apply to a worker whose full retirement age is 67. Full retirement age varies by birth year. Individual benefit amounts may also be affected by earnings history and other Social Security rules.
Full Retirement Age by Birth Year
Your full retirement age depends on the year you were born. Full retirement age determines when you can receive 100% of your Social Security retirement benefit before any early-claiming reduction or delayed-retirement increase.
| Year of Birth | Full Retirement Age |
|---|---|
| 1937 or earlier | 65 |
| 1938 | 65 and 2 months |
| 1939 | 65 and 4 months |
| 1940 | 65 and 6 months |
| 1941 | 65 and 8 months |
| 1942 | 65 and 10 months |
| 1943–1954 | 66 |
| 1955 | 66 and 2 months |
| 1956 | 66 and 4 months |
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months |
| 1960 or later | 67 |
Source: Social Security Administration — View official SSA retirement age information
Social Security retirement benefits can generally begin as early as age 62, but claiming before full retirement age permanently reduces the monthly retirement benefit.
What Can Affect Your Social Security Benefit?
Who Should Plan Around Social Security?
Benefits and Things to Consider
Social Security vs. Other Retirement Income
Common Social Security Questions
Related Retirement Option
Ready to Understand Your Social Security Options?
Learn how claiming age, earnings history and other retirement income sources may affect your Social Security strategy.