How Much Will You Receive From Social Security?

It can be difficult to predict how much you will receive from Social Security, especially if you are more than a few years away from retirement. But familiarizing yourself with how your benefit will be calculated can help you budget for retirement and even boost your future Social Security payments.

Here’s how to estimate how much you will get from Social Security in retirement.

Consider the averages. The average Social Security benefit was $1,413.37 per month in June 2018. The maximum possible Social Security benefit for someone who retires at full retirement age is $2,788 in 2018. However, a worker would need to earn the maximum taxable amount, currently $128,400 for 2018, over a 35-year career to get this Social Security payment.

Familiarize yourself with the calculation. Social Security payments are calculated using the 35 highest earning years of your career, and are adjusted for inflation. If you work for more than 35 years, your lowest earning years are dropped from the calculation, which results in a higher payment. Those who don’t work for 35 years have zeros averaged into the Social Security calculation and get smaller payments.

Factor in your retirement age. Your age when you start Social Security plays a big role in your payment amount. Your monthly Social Security benefit is reduced if you claim payments before your full retirement age, which is typically age 66 or 67, depending on your birth year. You can boost your monthly payments for each month you delay claiming between your full retirement age and age 70.

Subtract Medicare premiums. Many retirees have their Medicare Part B premiums deducted from their Social Security checks. The standard Medicare Part B premium is $134 per month in 2018, although some retirees pay a different amount. Medicare Part B payments are prohibited by law from decreasing Social Security payments for existing beneficiaries, so a Medicare Part B premium hike can’t be more than your annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.

Factor in income tax withholding. Many retirees have to pay income tax on their Social Security payments, especially if they have other sources of retirement income.

Create a My Social Security account. You can get a personalized estimate of your future Social Security benefits at various claiming ages by creating a my Social Security account. These estimates are based on your actual earning history and tend to be most accurate for those approaching retirement age. Your estimates might change from year to year, especially if you have a significant salary change or gaps in your earnings history.

 At The Levin Law Firm, we do not just draft documents; we ensure that you make informed and empowered decisions for yourself and the people you love.It can be difficult to predict how much you will receive from Social Security, especially if you are more than a few years away from retirement. But familiarizing yourself with how your benefit will be calculated can help you budget for retirement and even boost your future Social Security payments.

Here’s how to estimate how much you will get from Social Security in retirement.

Consider the averages. The average Social Security benefit was $1,413.37 per month in June 2018. The maximum possible Social Security benefit for someone who retires at full retirement age is $2,788 in 2018. However, a worker would need to earn the maximum taxable amount, currently $128,400 for 2018, over a 35-year career to get this Social Security payment.

Familiarize yourself with the calculation. Social Security payments are calculated using the 35 highest earning years of your career, and are adjusted for inflation. If you work for more than 35 years, your lowest earning years are dropped from the calculation, which results in a higher payment. Those who don’t work for 35 years have zeros averaged into the Social Security calculation and get smaller payments.

Factor in your retirement age. Your age when you start Social Security plays a big role in your payment amount. Your monthly Social Security benefit is reduced if you claim payments before your full retirement age, which is typically age 66 or 67, depending on your birth year. You can boost your monthly payments for each month you delay claiming between your full retirement age and age 70.

Subtract Medicare premiums. Many retirees have their Medicare Part B premiums deducted from their Social Security checks. The standard Medicare Part B premium is $134 per month in 2018, although some retirees pay a different amount. Medicare Part B payments are prohibited by law from decreasing Social Security payments for existing beneficiaries, so a Medicare Part B premium hike can’t be more than your annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.

Factor in income tax withholding. Many retirees have to pay income tax on their Social Security payments, especially if they have other sources of retirement income.

Create a My Social Security account. You can get a personalized estimate of your future Social Security benefits at various claiming ages by creating a my Social Security account. These estimates are based on your actual earning history and tend to be most accurate for those approaching retirement age. Your estimates might change from year to year, especially if you have a significant salary change or gaps in your earnings history.

 At The Levin Law Firm, we do not just draft documents; we ensure that you make informed and empowered decisions for yourself and the people you love.It can be difficult to predict how much you will receive from Social Security, especially if you are more than a few years away from retirement. But familiarizing yourself with how your benefit will be calculated can help you budget for retirement and even boost your future Social Security payments.

Here’s how to estimate how much you will get from Social Security in retirement.

Consider the averages. The average Social Security benefit was $1,413.37 per month in June 2018. The maximum possible Social Security benefit for someone who retires at full retirement age is $2,788 in 2018. However, a worker would need to earn the maximum taxable amount, currently $128,400 for 2018, over a 35-year career to get this Social Security payment.

Familiarize yourself with the calculation. Social Security payments are calculated using the 35 highest earning years of your career, and are adjusted for inflation. If you work for more than 35 years, your lowest earning years are dropped from the calculation, which results in a higher payment. Those who don’t work for 35 years have zeros averaged into the Social Security calculation and get smaller payments.

Factor in your retirement age. Your age when you start Social Security plays a big role in your payment amount. Your monthly Social Security benefit is reduced if you claim payments before your full retirement age, which is typically age 66 or 67, depending on your birth year. You can boost your monthly payments for each month you delay claiming between your full retirement age and age 70.

Subtract Medicare premiums. Many retirees have their Medicare Part B premiums deducted from their Social Security checks. The standard Medicare Part B premium is $134 per month in 2018, although some retirees pay a different amount. Medicare Part B payments are prohibited by law from decreasing Social Security payments for existing beneficiaries, so a Medicare Part B premium hike can’t be more than your annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.

Factor in income tax withholding. Many retirees have to pay income tax on their Social Security payments, especially if they have other sources of retirement income.

Create a My Social Security account. You can get a personalized estimate of your future Social Security benefits at various claiming ages by creating a my Social Security account. These estimates are based on your actual earning history and tend to be most accurate for those approaching retirement age. Your estimates might change from year to year, especially if you have a significant salary change or gaps in your earnings history.

 At The Levin Law Firm, we do not just draft documents; we ensure that you make informed and empowered decisions for yourself and the people you love.