— Retirement & FIRE
Social Security & State Pension Estimator
Estimate government retirement benefits for the US or UK. For the US, compare Social Security at 62, full retirement age, and 70; for the UK, estimate State Pension from qualifying National Insurance years.
Estimated monthly benefit
$2,577.75
- Annual benefit
- $30,932.96
- At 62 (earliest)
- $1,804.42
- At 67 (full age)
- $2,577.75
- At 70 (max)
- $3,196.41
- Break-even age (vs 70)
- 82.5
Try: US: $70k earner, claim at 67, US: claim early at 62, US: delay to 70, UK: 35 years → full pension
— Benefit breakdown
| Claiming age | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | $1,804 | $21,653 |
| 63 | $1,933 | $23,200 |
| 64 | $2,062 | $24,746 |
| 65 | $2,234 | $26,809 |
| 66 | $2,406 | $28,871 |
| 67 | $2,578 | $30,933 |
| 68 | $2,784 | $33,408 |
| 69 | $2,990 | $35,882 |
| 70 | $3,196 | $38,357 |
— Benefit by claiming age
Download— How it works
US: average indexed earnings → AIME → PIA via the bend-point formula (90% / 32% / 15%), then adjusted for your claiming age vs full retirement age. UK: (qualifying years ÷ 35) × the full new State Pension, plus any deferral.
Two systems, one estimator
Government pensions work very differently on each side of the Atlantic. US Social Security is earnings-based: your highest 35 years of indexed earnings give an average (AIME), which a progressive “bend-point” formula turns into your benefit at full retirement age (the PIA) — replacing 90% of the first slice of earnings, 32% of the next, and 15% above. The UK State Pension is years-based: 35 qualifying National Insurance years earn the full flat-rate pension, and fewer years earn a proportional share (with a 10-year minimum to get anything at all).
Worked example — US, $70,000 average earnings, claiming at 67: That’s roughly $2,580 a month at full retirement age — about $1,800 if you claim at 62, or $3,200 if you wait to 70. UK, 35 qualifying years: the full new State Pension, about £230 a week (£11,973 a year).
The claiming trade-off (US)
When you claim is the biggest lever you control. Take Social Security at the earliest age, 62, and it’s permanently reduced — around 70% of your full benefit. Wait to your full retirement age (66–67 depending on birth year) for 100%, or delay to 70 and earn delayed-retirement credits worth roughly 8% a year, lifting it to about 124%. The calculator shows all three, plus the break-even age: claim later and you get bigger cheques but fewer of them, so it only pays off if you live past the break-even — typically the early-80s.
An estimate — get your official statement
This is a planning estimate built on current (2025) figures: the US bend points and wage base, and the UK full-rate pension. It uses your average earnings as a stand-in for the full indexed-earnings record, so your real Social Security number — on your statement at ssa.gov (“my Social Security”) — will differ. For the UK, your forecast at gov.uk shows your exact qualifying years and any gaps you can fill. It does not model spousal or survivor benefits, the US windfall-elimination/government-pension-offset rules, or future earnings — treat it as a ballpark, then check the official source.
— Reader questions
How much Social Security will I get?
It depends on your lifetime earnings and when you claim. A $70,000 average earner gets roughly $2,580 a month at full retirement age — about $1,800 at 62 or $3,200 at 70. Your exact figure is on your ssa.gov statement.
Should I claim Social Security at 62, 67, or 70?
Claiming early gives smaller cheques sooner; delaying gives bigger ones later. The break-even age — usually the early-80s — is where waiting pulls ahead in total benefits. If you expect to live well beyond it, delaying tends to win; if not, or if you need the income, claiming earlier can make sense.
How is the UK State Pension calculated?
It’s your qualifying National Insurance years divided by 35, times the full new State Pension (about £230 a week in 2025/26). So 35 years earns the full amount, 20 years earns 20/35 of it, and fewer than 10 years earns nothing.
Can I increase my benefit?
In the US, work longer or at higher earnings (replacing low years in your top-35), and delay claiming. In the UK, fill gaps in your NI record with voluntary contributions to reach 35 years, and consider deferring past State Pension age for a roughly 5.8%-a-year boost.
Is this exact?
No — it’s an estimate from current formulas and your average earnings, not your full record. It ignores spousal/survivor benefits, the US WEP/GPO rules and future earnings. Always confirm with your official SSA or gov.uk statement.