Skip to content
Social Security Online
Benefit Calculators
SSA logo: link to Social Security Online home

About the Retirement Estimator

How the Retirement Estimator Works

The Retirement Estimator produces estimates that are based on your actual Social Security earnings record. Retirement estimates are just that, estimates. They will vary slightly from the actual benefit you may receive in the future because:
  • Your Social Security earnings record is constantly being updated;
  • Our calculators use different parameters and assumptions (e.g., different stop work ages, future earnings projections, etc.); and
  • Your actual future benefit will be adjusted for inflation.
Caution: You cannot use the Estimator if you block access to your personal information.

Who Can Use the Retirement Estimator

You can use the Retirement Estimator if:  
Estimate Your Retirement Benefits

How Long Can You Stay On Each Page?

For security reasons, there are time limits for viewing each page. You will receive a warning after 25 minutes without doing anything, and you will be able to extend your time on the page. After the third warning on a page, you must move to another page or your time will run out and your work on that page will be lost.

Note: If you turned JavaScript off in your browser, you will not receive these warnings. After you spend 30 minutes on a page, you must move to another page or you will be logged out.

 
 USA.gov: Portal to U.S. government agencies Privacy Policy | Website Policies & Other Important Information | Site Map
Last reviewed or modified Thursday Jul 24, 2008
Need Larger Text?