Here's What the Average Social Security Check Is in May (How Do You Compare?)

Social Security checks are a key income source for retirees. In fact, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), nearly 90% of seniors 65 and over are collecting benefits.

But just how much are these retirees going to collect in May? The answer may surprise you. Let's take a look at average monthly Social Security benefits to give you an idea of how they'll fit into your retirement plan.

What is the average Social Security check in May?

Social Security publishes a monthly statistical snapshot showing the average benefit paid to retirees.

This snapshot is released after payments are made, so we won't know exactly how much money was sent to seniors in May until June. That's because average benefits change very slightly each month as the mix of retirees changes when new Social Security claims are made, and older recipients pass away.

However, it's possible to get a pretty good idea of the average benefit. In March, the average benefit among all retired workers was $2,079, while in April it was $2,081. So, in May, the average benefit is likely to be a little bit above $2,081.

Average Social Security benefits also vary by age

While the overall average benefit is in the $2,081 range, there's actually a lot of variation in average benefits by age.

In fact, here's what the average looks like for some of the most popular claiming ages, including 62 (the earliest age you're allowed to claim benefits), 67 (full retirement age for anyone born in 1960 or later), and 70 (the age you'd need to claim to max out delayed retirement credits).

• Average benefit at 62: $1,424
• Average benefit at 67: $2,016
• Average benefit at 70: $2,275

The average benefit is much higher as you get older, which makes sense since there are penalties for early claims and rewards for delayed ones.

What is the maximum benefit?

The average benefit isn't very high, but some retirees collect far more than the typical senior. In fact, the maximum monthly Social Security benefits in 2026 are $2,969 at 62, $4,152 at full retirement age, and $5,181 at 70.

There's a maximum benefit because there's a cap on the income included in your benefits formula (and the amount of income you pay Social Security tax on). The cap is called the wage base limit, and it exists to make sure Social Security doesn't send out huge checks to high earners.

For 2026, the wage base limit is $184,500. You'd have to earn the inflation-adjusted equivalent of this amount for most of your career to max out your benefits.

How are your benefits calculated?

If these averages surprise you with how low they are, there's a simple reason for it. Benefits are designed to replace only around 40% of your pre-retirement income. Benefits are supposed to work with your savings and pension to support you — not be your sole source of support.

There's actually a very specific formula used to calculate benefits. The Social Security Administration adjusts your wages over your career to account for inflation, calculates your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) during the 35 highest-earning years of your career, and provides benefits equal to a specific percentage of your AIME, depending on your income.

The more you earn, and the more years you have a high salary, the bigger your benefit checks.

Your claiming age affects your Social Security checks

Your age when you collect Social Security also affects the amount of your check. That's because you get your standard benefit, or primary insurance amount, only if you claim benefits at exactly your full retirement age (FRA).

FRA is 67 if you were born in 1960 or later. If you claim prior to the FRA, you're hit with early filing penalties. The penalty works out to about 6.7% for each of the first three years you claim early, and 5% per year for any earlier years beyond that. So if you claim at 62 — five years early — your benefit gets cut by about 30%.

On the flip side, waiting beyond your FRA earns you an 8% boost for each year you delay, up to age 70. To put it in dollar terms: a $2,000 monthly benefit at 67 would shrink to $1,400 if you claim at 62, or grow to $2,480 if you wait until 70.

How do you maximize your Social Security payment?

If you want your Social Security payment to be as large as possible, there are a few key things to do. You could consider:

• Increasing your income as much as possible, since benefits are directly based on average wages
• Making sure you work at least 35 years so you don't have years of $0 wages included in your benefit calculation
• Delaying your claim for benefits as long as possible until 70 to avoid early filing penalties and max out your delayed retirement credits

If you're married, coordinating with your spouse is also important. The higher earner's decision to claim benefits early would shrink survivor benefits, while a late claim increases them, so take this into account when you decide what's best.

Bottom line

Even if you max out your Social Security benefit, a quick look at the average Social Security check in May should make clear that living on Social Security alone is probably not going to give you a stress-free retirement.

Make sure you're saving and investing throughout your working life so you have plenty of money to enjoy the later years that you deserve.

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