Editing Social Security (United States) (section)

== Benefits ==
=== Benefit types ===
The Social Security program in the United States pays benefits to three broad categories of individuals: retired individuals and some family members, disabled persons and some family members, and survivors. Within these broad categories, the program defines more specific types of beneficiaries. For example, spouses and divorced spouses are distinct categories, with somewhat different eligibility requirements. Survivor benefits include several categories including aged widow(er)s, aged surviving divorced spouses, disabled widow(er)s, disabled surviving divorced spouses, paternal and maternal orphans, and widow(er)s caring for minor or disabled children.

As of 2023, there were about 66.8 million individuals receiving Social Security benefits.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Social Security benefits, September 2023 | url=https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/quickfacts/stat_snapshot/2023-09.pdf | website=ssa.gov}}</ref> Individuals receiving Retirement Insurance Benefits constitute the largest group of beneficiaries, with 52.4 million retired workers or family members receiving monthly payments. Social Security Disability Insurance benefits were paid to 7.4 million disabled workers and 1.2 million dependents (children and spouses). About 5.8 million individuals, including 2 million children, received some type of survivor benefit from Social Security.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aarp.org/social-security/survivor-benefits-eligibility-checklist/|title=Social Security Survivor Benefits: 10 Things Spouses Need to Know}}</ref>

Some individuals qualify for more than one type of benefit, but program rules on dual entitlement generally prevent the payment of two full benefits. For example, a person eligible for a retirement benefit and a higher spouse benefit will receive the full retirement benefit and a partial spouse benefit. The dual entitlement rules disproportionately affect women (7 million women in 2022<ref>{{Cite web | title=Annual Statistical Supplement, 2023 – Summary of OASDI Benefits in Current-Payment Status (5.A) | url=https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2023/5a.html#table5.a15 | access-date=2023-11-14 | website=Social Security Administration Research, Statistics, and Policy Analysis | language=en}}</ref>) because historically they have earned less than current or former husbands and this leads to retirement benefits for women that are often lower than the full spouse benefit for which they qualify.

In addition, Social Security beneficiaries with low income and limited resources may qualify for additional income through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. SSI is separate from the Social Security program, but it is administered by SSA. In 2022, 2.5 million Social Security beneficiaries received additional income through SSI.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Annual Statistical Supplement, 2023 – Interprogram Data (3.C) | url=https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2023/3c.html#table3.c6 | access-date=2023-11-14 | website=Social Security Administration Research, Statistics, and Policy Analysis | language=en}}</ref>

=== System financing ===
Social Security payments to beneficiaries, which totaled $1.23 trillion in 2022, are generally financed by payroll taxes on workers in Social Security covered employment, trust fund reserves, and income taxation of some Social Security benefits. The payroll tax rate totals 12.4 percent of earnings up to the taxable maximum (the rate is 6.2 percent from workers and 6.2 percent from employers and 12.4 percent from the self-employed).

The OASI Trust Fund and the DI Trust Fund are legally separate. For employees and employers combined, the OASI payroll taxes are 10.6 percent and the DI payroll taxes are 1.8 percent. In 2022, trust fund reserves for the OASI and DI programs were $2.7 trillion and $118 billion, respectively. Income taxation of some Social Security benefits brought in $47.1 billion for OASI and $1.6 billion for DI in 2022.<ref name="2023Report" />

Assessments of system financing often focus on the combined programs together (OASI and DI) and focus on key measures such as trust fund depletion date, actuarial balance over a 75-year period, and comparisons of program costs to U.S. GDP.

Regarding trust fund depletion, the Social Security Trustees in 2024, based on technical work by the Social Security Administration's actuaries, project the combined OASDI trust fund will be depleted in 2035.<ref name="Konish 2024" /><ref name="Duehren 2024" /><ref name="Hinkle 2024" /><ref name="SSA annual report 2024 p. 6" /> In 2021, the Penn Wharton Budget Model (University of Pennsylvania) projected depletion in 2032–2034, depending on the shape of the economic recovery in the U.S. following the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web | title=The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Social Security's Finances | url=https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2020/5/28/social-security-finances-coronavirus | access-date=2025-04-27 | website=Penn Wharton Budget Model | date=May 28, 2020 | language=en-US}}</ref>

With regard to actuarial balance, the Social Security Trustees estimate a 75-year actuarial deficit of 3.61 percent of payroll. This is approximately the total payroll tax increase that would be necessary to keep the system solvent for 75 years. The figure is designed to illustrate the size of the deficit. Legislation could close the deficit in ways other than raising the payroll tax rate.

Because taxable earnings are a fraction of GDP, sometimes the system's finances are put into context by using GDP. Social Security's cost are 5.2 percent of U.S. GDP as of 2023. Program costs will rise to 6.3 percent of GDP by 2076, and then decline to 6.0 percent of GDP by 2097.<ref name="2023Report" />

In the past, legislation has been enacted to prevent trust fund depletion. Should the trust funds be depleted, Social Security would still have revenue coming into the system from payroll taxes. The Social Security trustees estimate that revenue would be sufficient to pay 77 percent of the program's benefits. There has been debate about a trust fund depletion scenario regarding whether monthly benefits would be lowered or whether full amounts would be paid but not on a timely basis.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Social Security: What Would Happen If the Trust Funds Ran Out? | url=https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL33514 | url-status=live | access-date=2025-04-28 | website=congress.gov}}</ref>

The amount of the monthly Social Security benefit to which a worker is entitled depends upon the earnings record on which they have paid FICA or SECA taxes and upon the age at which the retiree chooses to begin receiving benefits.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Earnings Record | url=https://www.advocator.com/definitions/earnings-record/ | url-status=live | access-date=2025-04-28 | website=advocator.com}}</ref> That said, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in ''[[Flemming v. Nestor]]'' (1960) that no one has a contractual right to Social Security benefits.

Medicare is a separate program from Social Security, although disabled and aged (65 or older) Social Security beneficiaries qualify for Medicare. The financing for [[Medicare (United States)]] is also based on payroll taxes, trust fund reserves, and the taxation of some Social Security benefits.

{{clear}}

=== Total benefits paid, by year ===
[[File:Social Security revenue and cost.png|thumb|upright=2.5|Annual cost is shown as a dotted line, first exceeding total revenues (including interest) in 2018]]
[[File:Medicare, Medicaid, and social security spending.png|thumb|upright=2.5|2017 and later are estimated]]
[[File:Social Security COLA.png|thumb|upright=2.5|Increased Cost of Living Adjustments paid to recipients]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" style="width: 100px;" | Year
! scope="col" style="width: 100px;" | Beneficiaries
! scope="col" style="width: 100px;" | Dollars<ref>"[http://www.ssa.gov/history/briefhistory3.html Historical Background and Development of Social Security]". ''Social Security Administration''.</ref>
|-
| align=center | 1937 || align=right |     53,236 || align=right |       $1,278,000
|-
| align=center | 1938 || align=right |    213,670 || align=right |      $10,478,000
|-
| align=center | 1939 || align=right |    174,839 || align=right |      $13,896,000
|-
| align=center | 1940 || align=right |    222,488 || align=right |      $35,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1950 || align=right |  3,477,243 || align=right |     $961,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1960 || align=right | 14,844,589 || align=right |  $11,245,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1970 || align=right | 26,228,629 || align=right |  $31,863,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1980 || align=right | 35,584,955 || align=right | $120,511,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1990 || align=right | 39,832,125 || align=right | $247,796,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1995 || align=right | 43,387,259 || align=right | $332,553,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1996 || align=right | 43,736,836 || align=right | $347,088,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1997 || align=right | 43,971,086 || align=right | $361,970,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1998 || align=right | 44,245,731 || align=right | $374,990,000,000
|-
| align=center | 1999 || align=right | 44,595,624 || align=right | $385,768,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2000 || align=right | 45,414,794 || align=right | $407,644,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2001 || align=right | 45,877,506 || align=right | $431,949,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2002 || align=right | 46,444,317 || align=right | $453,746,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2003 || align=right | 47,038,486 || align=right | $470,778,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2004 || align=right | 47,687,693 || align=right | $493,263,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2005 || align=right | 48,434,436 || align=right | $520,748,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2006 || align=right | 49,122,624 || align=right | $546,238,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2007 || align=right | 49,864,838 || align=right | $584,939,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2008 || align=right | 50,898,244 || align=right | $615,344,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2009 || align=right | 52,522,819 || align=right | $675,482,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2010 || align=right | 54,031,968 || align=right | $701,609,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2011 || align=right | 55,404,480 || align=right | $725,103,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2012 || align=right | 56,758,185 || align=right | $774,791,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2013 || align=right | 57,978,610 || align=right | $812,259,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2014 || align=right | 59,007,158 || align=right | $848,463,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2015 || align=right | 60,907,307 || align=right | $886,278,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2016 || align=right | 60,907,307 || align=right | $911,384,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2017 || align=right | 61,903,360 || align=right | $941,499,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2018 || align=right | 62,906,222 || align=right | $988,635,000,000
|-
| align=center | 2019 || align=right | 64,064,496 || align=right | $1,047,930,000,000
|-
|}

=== Primary Insurance Amount and Monthly Benefit Amount calculations ===
{{Main|Primary Insurance Amount}}

Workers in Social Security covered employment pay [[FICA]] ([[Federal Insurance Contributions Act]]) or SECA (Self Employed Contributions Act) taxes and earn quarters of coverage if earnings are above minimum amounts specified in the law. Workers with 40 quarters of coverage (QC) are "fully insured" and eligible for retirement benefits. Retirement benefit amounts depend upon the average of the person's highest 35 years of "adjusted [for inflation]" or "indexed [for inflation]" earnings. A person's payroll-taxable earnings from earlier years are adjusted for economy-wide wage growth, using the national average wage index (AWI), and then averaged.<ref name="SSA EN-05-10070">{{cite web | title=Your Retirement Benefit: How It's Figured | url=http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10070.pdf | access-date=2013-10-12}}</ref> If the worker has fewer than 35 years of covered earnings, these non-contributory years are assigned zero earnings. The sum of the highest 35 years of adjusted or indexed earnings divided by 420 (35 years times 12 months per year) produces a person's [[Average Indexed Monthly Earnings]] or AIME.<ref name="SSA EN-05-10070" />

The AIME is then used to calculate the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). For workers who turn 62 in 2024, the PIA computation formula is:

(a) 90 percent of the first $1,174 of average indexed monthly earnings, plus

(b) 32 percent of average indexed monthly earnings between $1,174 and $7,078, plus

(c) 15 percent of average indexed monthly earnings over $7,078<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ssa.gov/oact/COLA/piaformula.html | title=Primary Insurance Amount | publisher=Social Security Administration | access-date=2023-11-14}}</ref>

For workers who turn 62 in the future, the 90, 32, and 15 percent factors in the computation formula will remain the same but the dollar amounts in the formula (called bend points) will increase by wage growth in the national economy, as measured by the AWI. Because the AIME and the PIA calculation incorporate the AWI, Social Security benefits are said to be wage indexed. Because wages typically grow faster than prices, the PIAs for workers turning 62 in the future will tend to be higher in real terms but similar relative to average earnings in the economy at the time age 62 is attained.

Monthly benefit amounts are based on the PIA. Once the PIA is computed, it is indexed for price inflation over time. Thus, Social Security monthly benefit amounts retain their purchasing power throughout a person's retirement years.

A worker who first starts receiving a retirement benefit at the full retirement age receives a monthly benefit amount equal to 100 percent of the PIA. A worker who claims the retirement benefit before the full retirement age receives a reduced monthly benefit amount and a worker who claims at an age after the full retirement age (up to age 70) receives an increased monthly amount.<ref name="RetirementBenefits">{{Cite web | title=When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits | url=https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10147.pdf | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102084510/https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10147.pdf | archive-date=2021-01-02 | website=www.ssa.gov}}</ref>

The 90, 32, and 15 percent factors in the PIA computation lead to higher replacement rates for persons with lower career earnings. For example, a retired individual whose average earnings are below the first bend point can receive a monthly benefit at the full retirement age that equals 90 percent of the person's average monthly earnings before retirement. The table shows replacement rates for workers who turned 62 in 2013.

{| class="wikitable collapsible" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="margin:auto; margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size:90%; float:right;"
|-
! colspan="5" style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"|Benefit Calculations<br />Social Security Benefits vs. 35-year "Averaged" Salary<br />Percent of Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) eligible for Social Security, PIA Benefits<ref>{{cite web | title=OASDI Benefit calculations | url=http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10070.pdf | access-date=October 10, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|colspan=5|
----
|-
!align="right"|AIME Salary<br />per month ||Single<br />Benefits||Married<br />Benefits<sup>*</sup>||Single<br />Benefits<br />at age 62||Married<br />Benefits<sup>*</sup><br />at age 62
|-
!align right| $    791 ||90%||135%||68%||101%
|-
!align right| $  1,000 ||78%||117%||58%||88%
|-
!align right| $  2,000 ||55%||82%||41%||62%
|-
!align right| $  3,000 ||47%||71%||35%||53%
|-
!align right| $  4,000 ||43%||65%||33%||49%
|-
!align right| $  5,000 ||40%||60%||30%||45%
|-
!align right| $  6,000 ||36%||54%||27%||41%
|-
!align right| $  7,000 ||33%||50%||25%||32%
|-
!align right| $  8,000 ||31%||46%||23%||35%
|-
!align right| $  9,000 ||29%||44%||22%||33%
|-
!align right| $10,000 ||28%||42%||21%||31%
|-
!align right| $11,000 ||23%||34%||17%||26%
|-
!align right| $12,000 ||21%||32%||16%||24%
|-
!align right| $13,000 ||19%||29%||15%||22%
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:left;" font-size: 80% |* Married spousal benefits may be reduced or eliminated if spouse receiving a government pension. Spouse<br />still eligible for Medicare.<ref>{{cite web | title=Government Pension Offset | url=http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103180447/https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf | archive-date=2021-01-03 | website=ssa.gov}}</ref><br />Maximum percent of salary received before Medicare or tax deductions. Retirement benefits are calculated at<br />full retirement ages. Age 62 retirement benefits are assumed to be 75% of full benefits. Approximate AIME<br />salary = 90% salary. Approximation only; contact Social Security for more detailed calculations.
|}

The PIA computation formula for disabled workers parallels that for retired workers except the AIME is based on fewer years to reflect disablement before age 62. The monthly benefit amount of a disabled worker is 100 percent of PIA.

Benefits for spouses, children, and widow(er)s depend on the PIAs of a spouse or a deceased spouse. Aged spouse and divorced spouse beneficiaries can receive up to 50 percent of the PIA. Survivor benefit rates are higher and aged widow(er)s and aged surviving divorced spouses can receive 100 percent of the PIA.

Federal, state and local employees who have elected (when they could) NOT to pay FICA taxes are eligible for a reduced FICA benefits and full Medicare coverage if they have more than forty quarters of qualifying Social Security covered work. To minimize the Social Security payments to those who have not contributed to FICA for 35+ years and are eligible for federal, state and local benefits, which are usually more generous, the U.S. Congress passed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP).<ref>{{cite web | title=Windfall Elimination Provision | url=http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf | access-date=October 10, 2013}}</ref> The WEP provision does not eliminate all Social Security or Medicare eligibility if the worker has 40 quarters of qualifying income, but calculates the benefit payments by reducing the 90% multiplier in the first PIA bendpoint to 40–85% depending on the number of Years of Coverage.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Windfall Elimination Provision | url=https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103180444/https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf | archive-date=2021-01-03 | website=ssa.gov}}</ref> Foreign pensions are subject to WEP.

A special minimum benefit, based on an alternative PIA calculation, is available for some workers with long careers but low earnings. However, it is rarely higher than the regularly computed PIA and thus few workers qualify for the special minimum benefit. 32,000 individuals received the special minimum benefit in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Program Explainer: Special Minimum Benefit | url=https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/program-explainers/special-minimum.html | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | language=en}}</ref>

The benefits someone is eligible for are potentially so complicated that potential retirees should consult the Social Security Administration directly for advice. Many questions are addressed and at least partially answered on many online publications and online calculators.
{{Main|Retirement Insurance Benefits}}

=== How workers can get estimates of benefits ===
[[File:20200101 Remaining life expectancy - US.svg|thumb|upright=1.2|''Remaining'' life expectancy—expected number of remaining years of life as a function of ''current age''—is used in [[Pension|retirement income]] planning.<ref name=SocSecPeriodLifeExpectancy_2020>{{cite web | title=Actuarial Life Table | url=https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html | publisher=U.S. Social Security Administration Office of Chief Actuary | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708231105/https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html | archive-date=July 8, 2023 | date=2020 | url-status=live}}</ref>]]
The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides benefit estimates to workers through the Social Security Statement. The Statement can be accessed online by opening an online account with SSA called ''my Social Security''. With that account, workers can also construct "what if" scenarios, helping them to understand the effect on monthly benefits if they work additional years or delay the start of retirement benefits. The ''my Social Security'' account also offers other services, allowing individuals to request a replacement Social Security card or check the status of an application.<ref>{{Cite web | title=my Social Security | url=https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/ | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | language=en}}</ref>

A printed copy of the Social Security Statement is mailed to workers age 60 or older.

In 2021, SSA began producing ''Retirement Ready'' fact sheets, available online and as part of the online Statement, that tailor retirement planning information to different age groups (young, middle age, and older workers).<ref>{{Cite web | date=2021-04-01 | title=New Fact Sheets Added to Your Online Statement | url=https://blog.ssa.gov/new-fact-sheets-added-to-your-online-statement/ | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=Social Security Matters | language=en-US}}</ref>

SSA also has a Benefits Calculators web page with several stand-alone online calculators that help individuals estimate their benefits and prepare for retirement.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Benefit Calculators {{!}} SSA | url=https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/calculators/ | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | language=en}}</ref> These include benefit calculators for spouses, calculators for persons affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision or the Government Pension Offset and calculators to determine a person's full retirement age or the effect of the earnings test on benefits.

SSA also provides a life expectancy calculator to help with retirement planning.

=== Full retirement age (FRA) ===
If a person first claims a retirement benefit at the full retirement age (FRA), the individual will receive a monthly benefit amount equal to 100 percent of the individual's primary insurance amount (PIA). If first claimed before the FRA, the monthly benefit amount is smaller than 100 percent of PIA and if claimed after the FRA the monthly amount is higher than 100 percent of PIA. Sometimes the full retirement age is referred to as the normal retirement age.

Historically, the FRA was age 65. The 1983 Amendments to the Social Security Act gradually increased the FRA and, for individuals born in 1960 or later, the FRA is 67. The early retirement age (age 62) has not changed, but the monthly benefit amount paid at the early retirement age is lower if a person has a higher FRA. For example, when the FRA was age 65, the early retirement benefit was 80 percent of the worker's PIA. For a person with a FRA of 67, the early retirement benefit is 70 percent of PIA.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size:95%; float:right;"
|-
! Year of birth !! Full retirement age<ref>{{Cite web | last=SSA | first=ORDP | title=What is full retirement age? | url=https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/404/404-0409.htm | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | archive-date=July 22, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722135117/https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/404/404-0409.htm | url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| 1937 & prior || 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 & later || 67
|}

Individuals who first claim retirement benefits after the FRA (and up to age 70) receive delayed retirement credits that increase the monthly benefit amount by 8 percent per year of delayed claiming. For example, if a person has a FRA of 67 and waits until age 70 to claim retirement benefits, the individual's monthly benefit amount will be 124 percent of PIA.

{| class="wikitable floatright" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! Age when filing !! Change in benefits <br />from full amount<ref>{{Cite web | title=Benefits Planner: Retirement {{!}} Born in 1960 {{!}} SSA | url=https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/1960.html | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Delayed Retirement {{!}} Born in 1960 {{!}} SSA | url=https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/1960-delay.html | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | language=en}}</ref>
|-
| 62 || -30%
|-
| 63 || -25%
|-
| 64 || -20%
|-
| 65 || -13.3%
|-
| 66 || -6.7
|-
| 67 || ----
|-
| 68 || +8%
|-
| 69 || +16%
|-
| 70 || +24%
|-
| colspan="2" style="font-size: 80%;" | Based on a full retirement age of 67
|}

When a retirement beneficiary dies, a widow(er) or surviving divorced spouse is generally eligible for a monthly benefit amount equal to that received by the retirement beneficiary. Thus, a worker who delays retirement increases both the monthly benefit amount of the retirement benefit and, ultimately, the benefit a survivor receives.

Many press articles, guides, and studies have focused on whether it is optimal to claim benefits at the full retirement age or some other age. The Social Security Administration produces a publication called "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" that is designed to help individuals understand the issues involved in deciding when to begin benefits.<ref name="RetirementBenefits" /> The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College produced a guide designed to help individuals make informed claiming decisions.<ref>{{Cite web | title=The Social Security Claiming Guide {{!}} Center for Retirement Research | url=https://crr.bc.edu/special-projects/books/the-social-security-claiming-guide/ | access-date=2021-07-27 | language=en-US}}</ref>

Between 1985 and 2015, claiming of retirement benefits at the early retirement age became much less common and claiming at the full retirement age or later more common. In 2019, 1 in 4 individuals claimed at the early retirement age.<ref name="PreCovid">{{Cite web | title=Pre-COVID Trends in Social Security Claiming {{!}} Center for Retirement Research | url=https://crr.bc.edu/briefs/pre-covid-trends-in-social-security-claiming/ | access-date=2021-07-27 | language=en-US}}</ref> From 2009 through 2019, the percentage of men claiming retirement benefits after the full retirement age increased from 4.1 percent to 16.2 percent.<ref>{{Cite web | title=THE EFFECT OF CHANGES IN SOCIAL SECURITY'S DELAYED RETIREMENT CREDIT: EVIDENCE FROM ADMINISTRATIVE DATA | url=https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w28919/w28919.pdf | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615122614/https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w28919/w28919.pdf | archive-date=2021-06-15 | website=nber.org}}</ref> The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing recession and recovery on benefit claiming, however, are not yet known.<ref name="PreCovid" />

The full retirement age is relevant for some benefit types other than retirement benefits. For example, aged spouses and aged survivors who claim spouse or survivor benefits before the full retirement age receive reduced spouse or survivor benefits. The increase in the full retirement age from the 1983 Amendments to the Social Security Act was phased in at a slightly different pace for survivor benefits and the full retirement age is 67 for survivors born in 1962 or later.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Receiving Survivors Benefits Early {{!}} SSA | url=https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/survivorchartred.html | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | language=en}}</ref> Many aged survivors, however, are well past the full retirement age when the worker dies and thus can receive full survivor benefits immediately upon the worker's death.

For some types of Social Security benefits, benefits are not reduced or increased based on the age the benefits are first claimed. For example, a full monthly benefit amount (100 percent of PIA) is paid to disabled workers regardless of the age at which benefits start. At the full retirement age, the Social Security Administration reclassifies disabled workers as retired workers but the individual's monthly benefit amount is not affected.

=== Delayed benefits ===
{| class="wikitable collapsible" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="margin:auto; margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size:90%; float:right;"
|-
! colspan="3" style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"|Delayed Social Security Increases<br />for retiring after full retirement age<ref name="delayret">{{cite web | title=Delayed Retirement Credits | url=http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/delayret.htm | access-date=November 14, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|colspan=3|
----
|-
!align="right"|Year<br />of birth||Yearly<br />% increase||Monthly<br />% increase
|-
!align right|1933–1934||5.5%||11/24 of 1%
|-
!align right|1935–1936||6.0%||1/2 of 1%
|-
!align right|1937–1938|| 6.5%||13/24 of 1%
|-
!align right|1939–1940||7.0%||7/12 of 1%
|-
!align right|1941–1942||7.5%||5/8 of 1%
|-
!align right|1943+||8.0%||2/3 of 1%
|}
If a worker delays receiving Social Security retirement benefits until after they reach full retirement age,<ref name="delayret" /> the benefit will increase by two-thirds of one percent of the PIA per month.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/delayret.html | title=Benefits Planner: Retirement {{!}} Delayed Retirement Credits {{!}} Social Security Administration | website=ssa.gov | language=en | access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref> After age 70 there are no more increases as a result of delaying benefits. Social Security uses an "average" survival rate at your full retirement age to prorate the increase in the amount of benefit increase so that the total benefits are roughly the same whenever a person retires. Women may benefit more than men from this delayed benefit increase since the "average" survival rates are based on both men and women and women live approximately three years longer than men. The other consideration is that workers have a limited number of years of "good" health left after they reach full retirement age and unless they enjoy their job they may be passing up an opportunity to do something else they may enjoy doing while they are still relatively healthy.

=== Benefits while continuing work ===
Due to changing needs or personal preferences, a person may go back to work after retiring. In this case, it is possible to get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. A worker who is of full retirement age or older may (with spouse) keep all benefits, after taxes, regardless of earnings. But, if this worker or the worker's spouse are younger than full retirement age and receiving benefits and earn "too much", the benefits will be reduced. If working under full retirement age for the entire year and receiving benefits, SSA deducts $1 from the worker's benefit payments for every $2 earned above the annual limit of $15,120 (2013). Deductions cease when the benefits have been reduced to zero and the worker will get one more year of income and age credit, slightly increasing future benefits at retirement. For example, if a person was receiving benefits of $1,230/month (the average benefit paid) or $14,760 a year and have an income of $29,520/year above the $15,120 limit ($44,640/year) that person would lose all ($14,760) benefits. If a person made $1,000 more than $15,200/year they would lose $500 in benefits. People got no benefits for the months they worked until the $1 deduction for $2 income "squeeze" is satisfied. First social security checks are delayed for several months{{snd}}the first check may be only a fraction of the "full" amount. The benefit deductions change in the year a person reaches full retirement age and are still working{{snd}}SSA deducts only one dollar in benefits for every three a person earns above $40,080 in 2013 for that year and has no deduction thereafter. The income limits change (presumably for inflation) year by year.<ref>{{cite web | title=Working and Social Security Benefits | url=http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10069.pdf | access-date=November 6, 2013}}</ref>

=== Spouse's benefits ===
The spouse or divorced spouse of a retirement beneficiary is eligible for a Social Security spouse benefit if the spouse or divorced spouse is 62 or older. The benefit amount is equal to 50 percent of the retirement beneficiary's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) if the spouse claims the benefit at the full retirement age or later. If a person is eligible for both a retirement benefit based on the person's own work in Social Security covered employment and a spouse benefit based on a spouse's work in covered employment, SSA will pay a total amount approximately equal to the higher of the two benefits. For example, if at the full retirement age, a spouse claims a retirement benefit of $300 and a spouse benefit of $450, SSA will pay the person a $300 retirement benefit and a $150 partial spouse benefit for a total benefit of $450.

A spouse is eligible after a one-year duration of marriage requirement is met and a [[divorced]] spouse is eligible for spousal benefits if the marriage lasted for at least ten years and the person applying is not currently married. Payment of benefits to a divorced spouse does not reduce the Social Security benefits of the retired worker or family members of the retired worker, such as the worker's current spouse. A divorced person can claim spousal benefits once the former spouse is eligible for retirement benefits, regardless of whether the former spouse has claimed those retirement benefits.

Spousal benefits are reduced if claimed before the full retirement age. The reduction is 25/36 of 1% per month for the first 36 months and 5/12 of 1% for each additional month earlier than the full retirement age. This typically works out to between 50% and 32.5% of the retirement beneficiary's Primary Insurance Amount. There is no increase for starting spousal benefits ''after'' the full retirement age.

Although Social Security rules are gender-neutral, spousal benefits are disproportionately paid to women.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Annual Statistical Supplement, 2020 – Summary of OASDI Benefits in Current-Payment Status (5.A) | url=https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2020/5a.html#table5.a1 | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=Social Security Administration Research, Statistics, and Policy Analysis | language=en}}</ref> Because of trends in marriage and workforce participation, retirement benefits are projected to become increasingly important for women, but spouse and survivor benefits will remain common.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Research Summary: Women's Eligibility Basis for Social Security Retirement Benefits Is Changing | url=https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/research-summaries/womens-eligibility.html | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=www.ssa.gov | language=en}}</ref>

Because spouse benefits are a 50 percent benefit and because divorced individuals do not share resources with a current husband or wife, divorced spouse beneficiaries have poverty rates that are high. About 29 percent of divorced spouse beneficiaries are in poverty compared to only about 5.4 percent of married spouse beneficiaries.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Poverty Status of Social Security Beneficiaries, by Type of Benefit | url=https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v76n4/v76n4p19.html | access-date=2021-07-27 | website=Social Security Administration Research, Statistics, and Policy Analysis | language=en}}</ref>

There was a '''[[Social Security Government Pension Offset|Social Security government pension offset]]'''<ref>{{cite web | title=Social Security Government pension offset | url=http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf | access-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> that would reduce or eliminate any spousal (or ex-spouse) or widow(er)'s benefits if the spouse or widow(er) is also receiving a government (federal, state, or local) pension from work that did not require paying Social Security taxes. It was repealed by the [[Social Security Fairness Act]] of 2023 (H.R. 82), which President Biden signed on January 5, 2025. The basic rule was that Social Security benefits would be reduced by two-thirds of the spouse's or widow(er)'s government pension. If the spouse's or widow(er)'s government pension exceeds 150% of the "normal" spousal or widow(er)'s benefit, the spousal benefit was eliminated. For example, a "normal" spousal or widow(er)'s benefit of $1,000/month was reduced to $0.00, if the spouse or widow(er) was already drawing a non-FICA taxed government pension of $1,500 or more per month. Pensions from work where Social Security taxes were paid, did not reduce Social Security spousal or widow(er)'s benefits. Pensions received from foreign countries did not cause GPO; however, a foreign pension used to be subject to the [[Windfall Elimination Provision|WEP]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0200307290 | title=SSA – POMS: GN 00307.290 – Evidence of Foreign Pensions and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) – 06/04/2015 | website=secure.ssa.gov | access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref>

=== {{anchor|WIDOWBENEFITS}}Widow(er) benefits ===
If a worker covered by Social Security dies, a surviving spouse can receive survivors' benefits if a 9-month duration of marriage is met. If a widow(er) waits until Full Retirement Age, they are eligible for 100 percent of their deceased spouse's PIA.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.simplywise.com/blog/ss-benefits-if-my-spouse-dies/ | title=If My Spouse Dies, do I Get His Social Security and Mine? | date=March 16, 2021}}</ref> If the death of the worker was accidental, the duration of marriage test may be waived.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200305100 | title=SSA – POMS: GN 00305.100 – Marital Relationship Duration – 07/17/2006 | website=secure.ssa.gov | access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref> A divorced spouse may qualify if the duration of marriage was at least ten full years and the widow(er) is not currently married, or remarried after attainment of age 60 (50 if disabled and eligible for specific types of benefits<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0300207003 | title=SSA – POMS: RS 00207.003 – How Remarriage Affects Widow(er)'s Benefits – 09/02/2014 | website=secure.ssa.gov | access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref> prior to the date of marriage).

A father or mother of any age with a child age 16 or under or a disabled adult child in his or her care may be eligible for benefits. The earliest age for a non-disabled widow(er)'s benefit is age 60. If the worker received retirement benefits prior to death, the benefit amount may not exceed the amount the worker was receiving at the time of death or 82.5% of the PIA of the deceased worker (whichever is more).<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0200204045 | title=SSA – POMS: GN 00204.045 – Assisting Title II Surviving Spouse or Surviving Divorced Spouse Claimants with Month of Election (MOEL) Decisions when the Retirement Insurance Benefit – Limitation (RIB LIM) Applies – 11/05/2008 | website=secure.ssa.gov | access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref> If the surviving spouse starts benefits before full retirement age, there is an [[actuarial]] reduction.<ref name="SSApub10084" /> If the worker earned delayed retirement credits by waiting to start benefits after their full retirement age, the surviving spouse will have those credits applied to their benefit.<ref name="ssa.gov1">{{cite web | url=https://www.ssa.gov/planners/survivors/ifyou.html | title=Benefits Planner: Survivors – If You Are The Survivor – Social Security Administration | website=ssa.gov | date=June 11, 2024}}</ref> If the worker died before the year of attainment of age 62, the earnings will be indexed to the year in which the surviving spouse attained age 60.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300615302 | title=SSA – POMS: RS 00615.302 – Windexing – Alternate Method of Computing Benefits for Widow(er)s First Eligible 1/85 and Later – 06/05/2006 | website=secure.ssa.gov | access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref>

=== Children's benefits ===
Children of a retired, disabled or deceased worker receive benefits as a "dependent" or "survivor" if they are under the age of 18, or as long as attending primary or secondary school up to age 19 years and 2{{spaces}}months; or are over the age of 18 and were disabled before the age of 22.<ref name="SSApub10084">{{cite web | url=http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10084.html | title=Survivors Benefits | year=2007 | work=SSA Publication No. 05-10084, ICN 468540 | publisher=[[Social Security Administration]] | access-date=2007-12-24 | archive-date=2007-12-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227122114/http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10084.html | url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="SSApub10085">{{cite web | url=http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10085.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512101506/http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10085.pdf | archive-date=2013-05-12 | url-status=live | title=Benefits for Children | year=2012 | work=SSA Publication No. EN-05-10085, ICN 468550 | publisher=[[Social Security Administration]] | access-date=2015-03-24}}</ref>

The benefit for a child on a living parent's record, is 50% of the PIA. For a surviving child, the benefit is 75% of the PIA. The benefit amount may be reduced if total benefits on the record exceed the family maximum.

In ''[[Astrue v. Capato]]'' (2012), the Supreme Court unanimously held that children conceived after a parent's death (by [[in vitro fertilization]] procedure) are not entitled to Social Security survivors' benefits if the laws of the state in which the parent's will was signed do not provide for such benefits.<ref>{{cite news | first=Bill | last=Mears | url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/05/21/justice/scotus-posthumous-conception-ruling/index.html | title=Justices deny benefits for child conceived after death of a parent | date=May 21, 2012 | work=CNN}}</ref>

=== Disability ===
{{More citations needed|date=November 2007}}
A worker who has worked long enough and recently enough (based on "quarters of coverage" within the recent past) to be covered ''can'' receive disability benefits. These benefits start after five full calendar months of disability, regardless of his or her age. The eligibility formula requires a certain number of credits (based on earnings) to have been earned overall, and a certain number within the ten years immediately preceding the disability, but with more-lenient provisions for younger workers who become disabled before having had a chance to compile a long earnings history.

The worker must be unable to continue in his or her previous job and unable to adjust to other work, with age, education, and work experience taken into account; furthermore, the disability must be long-term, lasting twelve months, expected to last twelve months, resulting in death, or expected to result in death.<ref name="www.ssa.gov.652">{{cite web | title=What We Mean By Disability | url=http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/dqualify4.htm | access-date=2005-12-03 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051130054729/http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/dqualify4.htm | archive-date=2005-11-30 | url-status=dead}}</ref> As with the retirement benefit, the amount of the disability benefit payable depends on the worker's age and record of covered earnings.

[[Supplemental Security Income]] (SSI) uses the same disability criteria as the insured social security disability program, but SSI is not based upon insurance coverage. Instead, a system of means-testing is used to determine whether the claimants' income and net worth fall below certain income and asset thresholds.

Severely disabled [[child]]ren may qualify for SSI. Standards for child disability are different from those for adults.

Disability determination at the Social Security Administration has created the largest system of administrative courts in the United States. Depending on the state of residence, a claimant whose initial application for benefits is denied can request ''reconsideration'' or a ''hearing before an [[Administrative law judge|Administrative Law Judge]] (ALJ)''. Such hearings sometimes involve participation of an independent [[vocational expert]] (VE) or medical expert (ME), as called upon by the ALJ.

Reconsideration involves a re-examination of the evidence and, in some cases, the opportunity for a hearing before a (non-[[attorney at law (United States)|attorney]]) disability hearing officer. The hearing officer decides the case and provides justification for the finding in writing. If the claimant is denied at the reconsideration stage, (s)he may request a hearing before an ALJ. In some states, SSA has implemented a pilot program that eliminates the reconsideration step and allows claimants to appeal an initial denial directly to an ALJ.

Because the number of applications for Social Security disability is large (approximately 650,000 applications per year), the number of hearings requested by claimants often exceeds the capacity of ALJs. The number of hearings requested and availability of ALJs varies geographically across the United States. In some areas of the country, it is possible for a claimant to have a hearing with an ALJ within 90 days of the request. In other areas, waiting times of 18 months are not uncommon.

After the hearing, the [[Administrative Law Judge]] (ALJ) issues a decision in writing. The decision can be ''Fully Favorable'' (the ALJ finds the claimant disabled as of the date that (s)he alleges in the application through the present), ''Partially Favorable'' (the ALJ finds the claimant disabled at some point, but not as of the date alleged in the application; OR the ALJ finds that the claimant ''was'' disabled but has improved), or ''Unfavorable'' (the ALJ finds that the claimant was not and is not disabled). Claimants can appeal decisions to the Social Security Appeals Council, which is in [[Virginia]]. The Appeals Council does not hold hearings; it accepts written briefs. Response time from the Appeals Council can range from twelve weeks to more than three years.

Claimants who disagree with the Appeals Council decision can appeal the case in [[United States district court|federal district court]]. As in most federal court cases, an unfavorable district court decision can be appealed to the appropriate [[United States Court of Appeals]], and an unfavorable appellate court decision can be appealed to the [[United States Supreme Court]].

The SSA has maintained its goal for judges to resolve 500–700 cases per year but ALJs struggle to meet this goal. While 81% of ALJs met this productivity level in 2019, only 18% achieved this case disposition target in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.federaltimes.com/management/2021/06/21/set-up-to-fail-ssa-judges-have-long-faced-too-high-productivity-expectations/ | title=Set up to fail: SSA judges have long faced 'too high' productivity expectations | date=2021-06-21}}</ref> Office of Hearing Operations staffing and work procedure disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic have doubtlessly contributed to lower ALJ productivity in 2020.

The debate about the social security system in the United States has been ongoing for decades and there is concern about its sustainability.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Administering Social Security: Challenges Yesterday and Today | url=https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v70n3/v70n3p27.html | website=Social Security Administration Research, Statistics, and Policy Analysis | language=en | access-date=2020-05-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Krent | first1=Harold J. | last2=Morris | first2=Scott | date=2020-05-26 | title=Inconsistency and Angst in District Court Resolution of Social Security Disability Appeals | url=https://scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3418&context=fac_schol | journal=Hastings Law Journal | volume=67 | pages=367–403 | via=Chicago-Kent College of Law Scholarly Commons @ IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law}}</ref>