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Plan for Retirement

Apply for your monthly Retirement benefit anytime between age 62 and 70. We calculate your payment based on your lifetime earnings. The amount will be higher the longer you wait to apply, up until age 70.

You’ll decide when to apply based on what works best for you. For example, some choose to apply earlier to get payments spread over more years, and so family members can apply for Family benefits sooner.

Other factors that can affect your amount

Paying for healthcare

If you're getting Medicare Part B (medical insurance), the cost will be taken out of your monthly benefit. Determine when to sign up for Medicare.

Withholding taxes from benefit payments

You may owe taxes on your benefits. You can pay the IRS directly or have taxes withheld.
See if you owe taxes and request to have them withheld.

Continuing to work

Before Full Retirement Age (between age 66 and 67), we'll withhold part of your benefit if you work and earn over the annual earnings limit. At Full Retirement Age, we'll increase your monthly amount to account for the months you didn't get a check from us. 

After Full Retirement Age, you can earn any amount with no benefits withheld.

Enter your birth date to see your 2025 annual limit

Jobs with specific rules

Some jobs also follow special rules that may impact how we calculate your benefits. See how these rules could affect your benefit payment.

We no longer reduce your benefits because of pensions from jobs that didn’t pay into Social Security. Learn more about this change.

Timing for Family or Survivor benefits

If you’re eligible for Family or Survivor benefits, your benefit amount is highest at Full Retirement Age. It doesn’t increase if you wait and apply later. 


Learn more about Family and Survivor benefits.