Maximum Social Security Benefit in 2026, by Claiming Age
The largest Social Security retirement benefit anyone can receive in 2026, at each claiming age, and why it is capped.
The maximum Social Security retirement benefit for someone retiring in January 2026 is $5,181 a month at age 70, $4,207 at 67 and $2,969 at 62. SSA computes it for a worker who earned at least the taxable maximum ($184,500 in 2026) every year from age 22 (SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, Benefit examples for workers with maximum-taxable earnings).
Official Every figure on this page is published by the responsible agency; none is a projection.
| Claiming age | Monthly | Yearly | AIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62exact age 62 and 1 month | $2,969 | $35,628 | $14,358 |
| 65exact age 65 | $3,467 | $41,604 | $12,602 |
| 66exact age 66 | $3,752 | $45,024 | $11,724 |
| 67exact age 67 | $4,207 | $50,484 | $11,463 |
| 70exact age 70 | $5,181 | $62,172 | $10,593 |
From SSA’s actuarial table for a worker with earnings at the taxable maximum every year from age 22 (SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, Benefit examples for workers with maximum-taxable earnings; ssa.gov blocks automated downloads, so we read the Internet Archive capture of 12 September 2026). AIME is average indexed monthly earnings, the input to the benefit formula. Age 67 is past full retirement age for anyone who is 67 in January 2026, so that figure already includes some delayed retirement credits. The ceiling exists because earnings above the taxable maximum — $184,500 in 2026 (SSA, Contribution and benefit base) — are neither taxed nor counted. The 2027 wage base →
Even the maximum benefit covers only part of most retirements; the rest comes from your withdrawals. QuantCalc runs your whole retirement — Social Security, withdrawals, taxes, Medicare surcharges — year by year.
Run the free tax-aware simulation →Common questions
What is the maximum Social Security benefit in 2026?
The maximum Social Security retirement benefit for someone retiring in January 2026 is $5,181 a month at age 70, $4,207 at 67 and $2,969 at 62. SSA computes it for a worker who earned at least the taxable maximum ($184,500 in 2026) every year from age 22 (SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, Benefit examples for workers with maximum-taxable earnings). Source: SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, Benefit examples for workers with maximum-taxable earnings.
What is the maximum Social Security benefit at 62?
$2,969 a month for someone retiring in January 2026 at 62 and one month, with maximum-taxable earnings since 22 (SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, Benefit examples for workers with maximum-taxable earnings).
How do you get the maximum Social Security benefit?
Earn at least the taxable maximum for 35 years or more, and wait until 70 to claim. Each year the maximum is capped by the wage base, $184,500 in 2026 (SSA, Contribution and benefit base).
What will the maximum benefit be in 2027?
SSA publishes it with the cost-of-living adjustment in October. Benefits already being paid rise by the COLA; see the 2027 COLA estimate.
Sources
- SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, Benefit examples for workers with maximum-taxable earnings
- SSA, Contribution and benefit base
Every figure on this page is read at build time from one dataset and was checked against the text of the documents above on September 24, 2026. Every figure with its source: JSON. QuantCalc is calculation software, not tax, legal or benefits advice.
Related
Full retirement age chart → 2027 Social Security wage base → 2027 Social Security COLA → Claiming-age calculator →