The average monthly Social Security payment in 2024 is $1,907 for a retired worker

That figure comes from the Social Security Administration and represents what a person who started collecting retirement benefits receives each month. The number changes slightly each year because of cost-of-living adjustments, and it varies significantly depending on when you were born, how much you earned during your working years, and what age you started collecting.

The $1,907 average masks a wide range. Some people receive $900 a month. Others receive $3,800 or more. Your actual payment depends on your specific earnings record, not on a formula that treats everyone the same.

Key Takeaways

  • The average retirement benefit is $1,907 per month in 2024, but your payment will be higher or lower based on your lifetime earnings and the age you start collecting.
  • Waiting until age 70 to collect instead of age 62 can increase your monthly payment by roughly 75 percent, though you receive fewer total payments over your lifetime.
  • Spousal benefits, survivor benefits, and disability benefits all have different average amounts and different rules for how they are calculated.
  • You can view your own projected payment amount by creating an account on ssa.gov and checking your Social Security statement.

How your earnings record determines your payment amount

Social Security calculates your benefit based on your highest 35 years of earnings. The formula takes your average monthly earnings during those years, applies a bend point calculation that weights earlier earnings more heavily, and produces a primary insurance amount. That is the payment you receive if you start collecting at your full retirement age.

If you earned significantly more than average during your working years, your payment will be higher than $1,907. If you earned less, it will be lower. If you took time out of the workforce — for caregiving, unemployment, or other reasons — those zero-earning years count against your average and reduce your benefit.

The Social Security Administration does not publish a simple table showing what payment you should expect based on your earnings. Instead, you need to look at your own record. You can create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov, log in, and view your projected benefit amount based on your actual earnings history.

How your age at collection changes your monthly amount

The $1,907 average assumes you started collecting at your full retirement age, which is 66 or 67 depending on your birth year. If you start earlier, your payment is permanently reduced. If you start later, your payment is permanently increased.

Starting at age 62 reduces your payment by roughly 30 percent. Starting at age 70 increases it by roughly 75 percent. The difference compounds over time: a person who waits until 70 receives a much larger monthly payment, but they receive fewer total payments before age 80. A person who starts at 62 receives a smaller monthly payment, but they start collecting sooner.

There is no single "best" age to start. The choice depends on your health, your family history, how much you need the money now, and how long you expect to live. The Social Security Administration's break-even calculator can show you the point at which waiting becomes financially advantageous for your situation.

Spousal and survivor benefits operate on different amounts

If you are married, you may be may have access to to a spousal benefit based on your spouse's earnings record. The maximum spousal benefit is 50 percent of what your spouse receives at their full retirement age. If your spouse receives $2,000 a month, your spousal benefit could be up to $1,000.

Survivor benefits — payments to your widow, widower, or children if you die — are calculated differently. The total amount available to your family is roughly 75 to 180 percent of what you would have received, divided among all may be able to access survivors. A widow at full retirement age might receive 100 percent of what you would have gotten. A child under 18 might receive 75 percent. The total paid to the whole family is capped.

Disability benefits (SSDI) use the same calculation as retirement benefits. The average monthly SSDI payment in 2024 is $1,550, lower than the retirement average because disabled workers tend to have shorter earnings histories.

Cost-of-living adjustments change the average each year

The $1,907 figure is current for 2024. In January 2025, the Social Security Administration announced a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which means the average payment rose to approximately $1,955. The COLA changes every year based on inflation, and it is applied to all benefits — retirement, disability, survivor, and spousal.

You do not have to do anything to receive the COLA. It is applied automatically to your account. If you are receiving benefits, your payment will increase in January of the year following the announcement.

Where to find your own projected payment

The national average is useful context, but your actual payment depends on your record. To see what you can expect, go to ssa.gov and create a my Social Security account. You will need your Social Security number, email address, and a way to verify your identity (usually a phone number or credit card).

Once logged in, click "Benefit Estimates" and you will see your projected retirement benefit at different ages — 62, full retirement age, and 70. The site also shows your earnings history so you can verify it is correct. If you spot an error, you can request a correction through the same account.

If you do not have internet access or prefer to speak with someone, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Wait times are typically shorter early in the morning or on weekdays. You can also visit your local Social Security office in person, though appointments are recommended.

What affects whether your payment is higher or lower than average

Your payment will be higher than $1,907 if you had above-average earnings during your working years, worked for more than 35 years (which allows higher-earning years to replace lower ones), or delayed claiming past your full retirement age. It will be lower if you had below-average earnings, took significant time out of the workforce, or claimed before your full retirement age.

Government pension offsets can also reduce your payment. If you receive a pension from work where you did not pay Social Security taxes — some government jobs, for example — your spousal or survivor benefit may be reduced or eliminated. This is called the Government Pension Offset (GPO) or Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), depending on which benefit applies to you.

Earnings after you start collecting can also affect your payment temporarily. If you are under your full retirement age and earn more than $23,400 in 2024, Social Security withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that threshold. Once you reach full retirement age, there is no earnings limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is $1,907 what I will actually receive?

Not necessarily. That is the national average for people who started collecting retirement at full retirement age in 2024. Your payment depends on your specific earnings history and the age you start collecting. The only way to know your actual projected amount is to check your my Social Security account at ssa.gov.

Why is the average so much lower than the maximum benefit?

Social Security benefits are based on what you earned, not on a fixed amount. People who earned less during their working years receive less. People who took time out of the workforce, worked part-time, or had lower-wage jobs receive less. The average reflects the mix of all beneficiaries, including those with shorter or lower-earning careers.

Does the average include people who claimed early or late?

The $1,907 figure refers to people at full retirement age. It does not include people who claimed at 62 (who receive less) or at 70 (who receive more). If you include all age groups, the overall average is lower because more people claim early than claim late.

Will my payment increase if I wait to claim?

Yes. Your monthly payment increases by roughly 8 percent for each year you delay past your full retirement age, up to age 70. If your full retirement age benefit is $2,000, waiting three years to age 70 would increase it to roughly $2,480 per month. You receive fewer total payments, but each payment is larger.

Can I see what my spouse or children would receive if I died?

Yes. Your my Social Security account shows your projected retirement benefit and your full retirement age. From there, you can estimate survivor benefits: your widow or widower at full retirement age would receive roughly 100 percent of your benefit, and each child under 18 would receive roughly 75 percent. The total to all family members is capped at 150 to 180 percent of your benefit.