Here's the Average Social Security Benefit at Age 67

As of December 2025, the average Social Security benefit for people aged 67 is $2,016.48 per month, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). While 67 is full retirement age (FRA) for anyone born in 1960 or later, being 67 today doesn't mean you're receiving your unreduced baseline amount. This average accounts for different claiming strategies, including workers who claimed early and those who waited to increase their checks.

Men at this age receive an average of $2,234.41, while women receive $1,801.82. This represents a gap of $432.59 per month. This difference generally reflects historical gaps in career earnings and the number of years spent in the workforce. Since the benefit formula uses a long time window, lower-earning years or employment gaps can weigh down the final average.

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How the government calculates your Social Security benefit

The SSA calculates your benefit by taking your income from your 35 highest-earning years, adjusting those earlier wages for inflation, and running them through the primary insurance amount (PIA) formula. Then it adjusts your benefit up or down based on your age at the time you apply.

All benefits get an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The 2026 COLA was 2.8%. That adjustment added about $56 per month to the average benefit for a 67-year-old worker.

The age at which you can receive your full, unreduced benefit has been gradually increasing. It was age 65 for decades, but it's 67 for everyone born in 1960 or later. If your full retirement age is 67 and you claim at 62, your benefit is reduced by 30%. Knowing this baseline helps you weigh the cost of an early claim against the value of waiting for a larger check.

How your Social Security checks affect your retirement income

Social Security is designed to replace about 40% of your pre-retirement income. Because most retirees need more than that to maintain their lifestyle, you'll likely need to supplement these checks with savings or other income sources. For many, the program is a foundation rather than a complete retirement solution.

If you delay claiming past full retirement age, you earn delayed retirement credits worth 8% per year. For a worker whose full retirement age is 67, waiting until age 70 to claim their largest checks results in a 24% increase in their monthly benefit. In the current data, the average benefit at age 70 is $2,274.68. That represents a $258.20 monthly gap compared to the average for those who are 67 today.

Understanding how the average benefit shifts at 67 provides a clear benchmark for deciding whether to claim now or hold out for a higher monthly payment.

Should you apply for Social Security at age 67?

Claiming Social Security at age 67 can be a good middle ground if you're worried about claiming too early or too late, but there's no single best move for everyone. It depends on individual factors like your health and finances.

If you have a short life expectancy, claiming Social Security under 67 could result in a larger lifetime benefit. And if you don't have enough personal savings to cover your living expenses on your own, applying for benefits early could mean the difference between stability and debt.

But if you can afford to delay your Social Security claim and you expect to live into your 80s or beyond, there's a good chance that you'll get a larger lifetime benefit by waiting to apply.

Review all of your options before deciding which claiming age makes the most sense for you. If you have a spouse or dependents who would be affected by your choice, discuss it with them as well to make sure you're all on the same page.

For more on how Social Security affects your retirement, see this guide.

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