How to estimate your Social Security benefits in six steps

To plan smart for retirement, estimate your Social Security benefits years before you'll need the money. Here's how to do it.

See the maximum Social Security benefit for ages 62 to 85 in 2026

Those who work long, high-paying careers can receive thousands of dollars above the average Social Security benefit.

Social Security Benefits Get a Cost-of-Living Adjustment in 2026 -- but How Well Will it Hold Up?

Social Security COLAs have a history of disappointing seniors due to a flaw in the way they're calculated. Millions of ...

What happens to my Social Security benefits if I keep paying into the system for another decade – will they go up?

There are millions of older Americans today collecting Social Security. And for many people, those benefits make it possible ...

How Does Your Social Security Benefit Compare With the Average?

If you’re retired, you probably get a lot of your income from Social Security. And you may be wondering how your monthly ...

Social Security Benefits Get a 2.8% COLA. Here's How Much the Average Check Might Increase

The SSA puts the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit before next year's 2.8% COLA at $2,015 per month. Once that COLA takes effect, the average retiree benefit is expected to rise to $2 ...

Social Security Strategies: Best Age for Men to Begin Collecting Benefits for Maximum Payout

Explore the Social Security benefit amounts you can receive at various retirement ages and whether the monthly amount or the lifetime amount matters more to you.
USA Today

Want the max $5,108 Social Security check? Here's the salary you need.

Needless to say, Social Security is a large, complex program with over 74 million Americans receiving benefits each month. Social Security retirees can claim benefits at different ages, and the amount ...