How To Calculate Social Security Benefits [3 Easy Steps]

In this video I want to show you how to easily calculate your Social Security benefit without a fancy calculator, software or help from someone who doesn’t really care if your information they give you is correct or not (like you may get at the Social Security Administration). When we finish, you’ll know how to do this calculation on your own in just a few simple steps.

So why would you need to know how to do this calculation on your own? It’s important for a few reasons. First, it never hurts to understand the mechanics behind an income stream that’ll probably be a large part of your overall retirement income. Second, the SSA makes projections about your future income as part of your benefits estimate. On the benefits statement they say plainly, “we assume your earnings will continue at the same level until your retirement age and if they are different, your benefit will not match the estimate” AND “we can’t provide your actual benefit amount until you apply for benefits.” This all means that if your earnings are different than their projections, your benefit will not match the estimate. So, understanding how to do this calculation is especially important if you plan to retire early or later than “normal” or if you have a significant earnings change in the last few years of working.

To do this calculation, there are only three steps and each has some sub-steps as well. First, you’ll need to find your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings, or AIME. Then you apply that AIME to the benefit formula and then adjust for filing age.

Don’t worry…I’ll walk you carefully through each step so it’ll be clear. Don’t hesitate to hit pause while you’re compiling some of the information or completing a calculation.

❗Resources Mentioned in This Video:

➡️Online SSA Account socialsecurty.gov/myaccount

➡️Indexing Factors ssa.gov/oact/cola/awifactors.html ssa.gov/oact/cola/awifactors.html

➡️Current & Historical Bend Points ssa.gov/oact/cola/bendpoints.html

➡️Blueprint socialsecurityintelligence.com/free-ebook-for-m…


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📜 HEAR YE HEAR YE: Some of my videos contain links to third party products, apps, and services. If you click through, I may receive a small referral fee to my media company (Carroll Media Properties) through their referral program. Rest assured, I only recommend products or services that I believe will be helpful and informative to my audience.

⭐⚠️⭐Please read this⭐⚠️⭐

⚠️I am not an attorney, SSDI advocate, or affiliated with the Social Security Administration or any other entity of the US Federal Government. I am a practicing financial planner, but I’m not YOUR financial planner and since I don’t really know you, I can’t give you advice. So please don’t take this video as specific advice for your specific situation. Consult your own tax, legal and financial advisors. 🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇
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