Cumulative benefit crossover

Social Security Break-Even Calculator

Compare the payments received sooner with the larger monthly amount available from waiting.

Private by design. Your birth date, earnings, and results stay on this device.

Step 1

Your timeline

Date of birthMM/DD/YYYY

Use the U.S. month/day/year format.

Dollar displayConstant formula dollarsExcludes future COLAs and inflation.Future dollarsApplies the visible 2.4% annual COLA assumption.

Planned stop-work year Optional. Future earnings phases must end by this year; claiming can happen later.

Step 2

Covered earnings

Earnings history — one “year, amount” per lineTreat omitted years as $0. I reviewed my earnings record.

Step 3

Future earnings phases

Model full-time, part-time, or zero-income periods separately. Leave this section empty if you do not want to project future earnings.

Future earnings phase 1Start yearEnd yearAnnual covered earnings

Future earnings phase 2Start yearEnd yearAnnual covered earnings

Future earnings phase 3Start yearEnd yearAnnual covered earnings

Step 4

Claiming dates to compare

Scenario 1Claim ageClaim month

Scenario 2Claim ageClaim month

Scenario 3Claim ageClaim month

How the break-even estimate works

For each claiming date, the calculator builds a benefit stream from the selected claiming month. It then finds the first month when the cumulative value of the later stream equals or exceeds the earlier stream.

Why your result can differ from a simple online chart

Your Primary Insurance Amount depends on your own highest 35 years of indexed earnings. Claiming months, zero-earning years, future earnings assumptions, and the selected dollar mode can all change the crossover.

Important limitation

A later break-even age does not mean one choice is universally better. Confirm official amounts with the Social Security Administration and consider qualified advice for a personal decision.