This Is the Average Social Security Benefit for Age 65

Key Points

• Social Security benefits alone won't support most people comfortably.

• It's smart to set up other income streams to support you in retirement.

• Be prepared for cuts to Social Security, too.

• The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook ›

Social Security has just turned 90, and it's a vital program, lifting some 22 million people above the poverty line, per the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. An eye-opening 56% of respondents in the 2025 Nationwide Retirement Institute's Social Security Survey say they wouldn't survive financially if they missed half of a Social Security payment.

So what are these benefits, exactly? Well, the overall average monthly Social Security benefit for retirees was $2,007 as of July -- about $24,000 per year. Below are average monthly Social Security benefits for those who are 65 or other ages, as of the end of last year.

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Data source: Social Security Administration.

Those are all just averages, though. To get a clearer idea of how much you might receive, set up a my Social Security account with the Social Security Administration (SSA).

All of these numbers might end up being somewhat off the mark, though, because while the Social Security program has worked well for many decades, it's facing some challenges in the coming years, as many people live longer and retire earlier than they used to. If nothing is done to strengthen Social Security (and there are multiple ways to do so), within a decade, it's estimated that beneficiaries will see benefits cut by as much as 23%.

Worse still, the Trump administration's "big, beautiful bill" is set to accelerate the depletion of Social Security's coffers.

So do count on getting Social Security income in retirement, but don't assume that it will be a lot. Instead, plan to set up other income streams to keep you afloat.

The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook

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