Claiming at 68 against other ages on $70,000
Full retirement age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. Claiming at 68 pays 108.0% of the $2,566 full benefit, $2,771 a month, and the increase lasts for life. Cost-of-living raises then apply to whatever amount you start with.
| Claim at | A month | A year | Share of full benefit | Against claiming at 68 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | $1,796 | $21,552 | 70.0% | −$975 a month |
| 63 | $1,924 | $23,088 | 75.0% | −$847 a month |
| 64 | $2,052 | $24,624 | 80.0% | −$719 a month |
| 65 | $2,223 | $26,676 | 86.7% | −$548 a month |
| 66 | $2,394 | $28,728 | 93.3% | −$377 a month |
| 67 (full retirement age) | $2,566 | $30,792 | 100.0% | −$205 a month |
| 68 | $2,771 | $33,252 | 108.0% | this page |
| 69 | $2,976 | $35,712 | 116.0% | +$205 a month |
| 70 | $3,181 | $38,172 | 124.0% | +$410 a month |
Total received by each age
Against claiming at 62, the later start catches up at about age 79.1. Against claiming at 67, the later start catches up at about age 80.5. Against claiming at 70, the earlier start is overtaken at about age 83.5. Totals below are in today’s dollars with no interest, the usual way to compare claiming ages; investing early checks would push each breakeven a little later.
| By your birthday at | Claim at 62 | Claim at 67 | Claim at 68 | Claim at 70 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | $280,176 | $246,336 | $232,764 | $190,860 |
| 80 | $387,936 | $400,296 | $399,024 | $381,720 |
| 85 | $495,696 | $554,256 | $565,284 | $572,580 |
| 90 | $603,456 | $708,216 | $731,544 | $763,440 |
| 95 | $711,216 | $862,176 | $897,804 | $954,300 |
What waiting to 68 buys
Each year past 67 adds 8% through delayed retirement credits, so 68 pays 108% of the full benefit: $205 a month more than at 67 and $975 more than at 62, before cost-of-living raises, which compound on the larger amount. Waiting on to 70 would add another $410 a month; nothing is gained past 70. There is no earnings test after full retirement age, so working in your late sixties does not reduce the benefit when you claim.
Your spouse at 68
A husband or wife claiming on your record at 68 gets about $1,283 a month; at their own full retirement age it is about $1,283, half of your $2,566 full benefit. Spousal benefits stop growing at 67, and a spouse gets their own benefit instead if it is larger. A surviving spouse at full retirement age receives the whole benefit you were being paid: $2,771 if you claimed at 68.
Tax on $33,252 a year of benefits
Up to 85% of Social Security can be federally taxable, depending on your other income. Estimates for a single filer claiming at 68 on 2026 rules:
| Other income (IRA withdrawals) | Taxable benefits | Share taxable | Federal tax on everything |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | $0 | 0% | $0 |
| $20,000 | $6,732 | 20% | $258 |
| $40,000 | $23,732 | 71% | $4,502 |
| $60,000 | $28,264 | 85% | $8,992 |
Eight states can also tax benefits: which states tax Social Security.
Social Security at 68 on other salaries
| Salary | At 68 | At 67 |
|---|---|---|
| $20,000 at 68 | $1,391 | $1,288 |
| $25,000 at 68 | $1,529 | $1,415 |
| $30,000 at 68 | $1,667 | $1,543 |
| $35,000 at 68 | $1,805 | $1,671 |
| $40,000 at 68 | $1,943 | $1,799 |
| $45,000 at 68 | $2,081 | $1,927 |
| $50,000 at 68 | $2,219 | $2,054 |
| $55,000 at 68 | $2,357 | $2,182 |
| $60,000 at 68 | $2,495 | $2,310 |
| $65,000 at 68 | $2,633 | $2,438 |
| $70,000 | $2,771 | $2,566 |
| $75,000 at 68 | $2,909 | $2,694 |
| $80,000 at 68 | $3,047 | $2,821 |
| $85,000 at 68 | $3,185 | $2,949 |
| $90,000 at 68 | $3,323 | $3,077 |
| $95,000 at 68 | $3,461 | $3,205 |
| $100,000 at 68 | $3,599 | $3,332 |
| $105,000 at 68 | $3,680 | $3,408 |
| $110,000 at 68 | $3,745 | $3,468 |
| $115,000 at 68 | $3,810 | $3,528 |
| $120,000 at 68 | $3,874 | $3,587 |
| $125,000 at 68 | $3,939 | $3,647 |
| $130,000 at 68 | $4,004 | $3,707 |
| $135,000 at 68 | $4,068 | $3,767 |
| $140,000 at 68 | $4,133 | $3,827 |
| $145,000 at 68 | $4,198 | $3,887 |
| $150,000 at 68 | $4,262 | $3,947 |
| $160,000 at 68 | $4,392 | $4,067 |
| $170,000 at 68 | $4,521 | $4,186 |
| $175,000 at 68 | $4,586 | $4,246 |
| $180,000 at 68 | $4,651 | $4,306 |
The same salary claimed at 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 69 or 70, and every claiming age with the formula worked through, is on Social Security if you make $70,000.
The breakeven calculator, set to your estimate
Set to someone born in 1965 with a $2,566 full benefit. Put in the amount from your own statement, and a return if you would invest early checks.
Claiming at 62 pays $1,796 a month; waiting until 70 pays $3,182. If you live past 80 and 5 months, waiting until 70 has paid more in total. Living to 90, the claiming age that pays the most is 70, about $763,642 in today’s dollars.
Assumptions and sources
A career of the same multiple of the national average wage every year from 22 to 61, ending at $70,000 in 2026, on the benefit formula for people who turn 62 in 2027. This is a planning estimate, not a statement of benefits.
Figures checked on against SSA, national average wage index series (2025 index published October 2026), SSA, benefit formula bend points, SSA, contribution and benefit base, SSA, benefit calculation examples for workers retiring in 2027, SSA, benefits for a spouse, SSA, benefit reduction for early retirement and 2026 Social Security Trustees Report, average wage index assumptions.