How big is the average Social Security check of a middle-class retiree?

[{"selector":"#anim-f1133c89-68f0-44f6-aa56-8a9c448b7f90","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":650,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d2c8381-250c-4613-aed1-80d68683bed4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.19018%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":650,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Average Benefit: As of 2024, the average Social Security check for retired workers is around $1,850 per month.

[{"selector":"#anim-c5d9962c-5c8f-489e-9453-16c7fb8ab174","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b026b15b-df3f-4469-aa7d-b12bc3fa25f5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28c011b4-21ae-4b76-b6b8-842fee5f385c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 167.86220%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Lifetime Earnings: The benefit amount depends on your lifetime earnings. Higher lifetime earnings result in a larger check.

[{"selector":"#anim-4713ac79-cac0-4b4f-9d17-7c4cb717ac50","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d0d8bc61-d956-415f-baa5-9b474e8067c8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79bdb905-009b-49e2-ad13-12ad24eefda0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 166.59635%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Full Retirement Age (FRA): Your full retirement age is when you're eligible to receive 100% of your calculated benefits.

[{"selector":"#anim-4699181c-9b47-4b37-b73b-18fa918d3f87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ecbeb58-35d5-4521-8e08-9e572503226a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13469b3a-d575-435c-a57e-a6ceb840cab8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 177.35585%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Early Retirement: Claiming benefits at 62 reduces your monthly check by up to 30%.

[{"selector":"#anim-af9c1094-7b5c-4eb0-9bec-d4542150a257","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b7f9e01-f201-45cd-a80e-ac7afed1feb6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2fef7604-4a02-4fe1-bd3e-9190188ff602","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 213.56082%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Delayed Retirement: Delaying benefits past your FRA increases your monthly benefit by up to 8% per year until age 70.

[{"selector":"#anim-cdd1428f-0288-4ac4-a27a-e49f65a5b9b1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-565cb99e-d82c-4a6e-a36b-05262d5cd2b6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1845062d-3dfc-43e7-9a77-bbccaef3715e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 183.68499%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Maximum Benefit: In 2024, the maximum monthly benefit at FRA is about $4,555.

[{"selector":"#anim-c0bf9a06-b9a2-4232-b1ae-4d9ff1ef2adb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1d2dc6a9-b29d-42f7-beb3-eb79fad4cf8d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d909ed3f-db33-4ea1-9e87-861113f709e2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 218.28526%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Middle-Class Range: Middle-class retirees often see benefits between $1,500 and $2,500 monthly.

[{"selector":"#anim-0e27c066-dc25-4ef6-b287-a537a14ae315","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bbc52c68-9a27-45b1-b092-44b5b87ab550","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f3ceede-934b-40d1-89a3-a124ae399ddb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 221.43482%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Taxes: Social Security benefits may be taxable depending on your overall income level, reducing the net amount you receive.

[{"selector":"#anim-ed24abd0-1f6c-43f1-8be4-c210d57743dd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-425653bd-4902-4d61-bb70-acbdbbf332c6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-592f9eca-bba1-4c5b-8549-57d7e4317ff8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 121.16959%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]