Social Security claiming factors
By Jude Wallis
A claiming factor scales the primary insurance amount. At 60 months early the factor is 0.7, so a PIA of 1,000 becomes 700 a month. Delayed months add 2/3 of 1 percent each.
The formula
Multiply the primary insurance amount by the factor for months from full retirement age.
| Months from FRA | Factor |
|---|---|
| -60 | 0.7000 |
| -59 | 0.7042 |
| -58 | 0.7083 |
| -57 | 0.7125 |
| -56 | 0.7167 |
| -55 | 0.7208 |
| -54 | 0.7250 |
| -53 | 0.7292 |
| -52 | 0.7333 |
| -51 | 0.7375 |
| -50 | 0.7417 |
| -49 | 0.7458 |
| -48 | 0.7500 |
| -47 | 0.7542 |
| -46 | 0.7583 |
| -45 | 0.7625 |
| -44 | 0.7667 |
| -43 | 0.7708 |
| -42 | 0.7750 |
| -41 | 0.7792 |
| -40 | 0.7833 |
| -39 | 0.7875 |
| -38 | 0.7917 |
| -37 | 0.7958 |
| -36 | 0.8000 |
| -35 | 0.8056 |
| -34 | 0.8111 |
| -33 | 0.8167 |
| -32 | 0.8222 |
| -31 | 0.8278 |
| -30 | 0.8333 |
| -29 | 0.8389 |
| -28 | 0.8444 |
| -27 | 0.8500 |
| -26 | 0.8556 |
| -25 | 0.8611 |
| -24 | 0.8667 |
| -23 | 0.8722 |
| -22 | 0.8778 |
| -21 | 0.8833 |
| -20 | 0.8889 |
| -19 | 0.8944 |
| -18 | 0.9000 |
| -17 | 0.9056 |
| -16 | 0.9111 |
| -15 | 0.9167 |
| -14 | 0.9222 |
| -13 | 0.9278 |
| -12 | 0.9333 |
| -11 | 0.9389 |
| -10 | 0.9444 |
| -9 | 0.9500 |
| -8 | 0.9556 |
| -7 | 0.9611 |
| -6 | 0.9667 |
| -5 | 0.9722 |
| -4 | 0.9778 |
| -3 | 0.9833 |
| -2 | 0.9889 |
| -1 | 0.9944 |
| 0 | 1.0000 |
| 1 | 1.0067 |
| 2 | 1.0133 |
| 3 | 1.0200 |
| 4 | 1.0267 |
| 5 | 1.0333 |
| 6 | 1.0400 |
| 7 | 1.0467 |
| 8 | 1.0533 |
| 9 | 1.0600 |
| 10 | 1.0667 |
| 11 | 1.0733 |
| 12 | 1.0800 |
| 13 | 1.0867 |
| 14 | 1.0933 |
| 15 | 1.1000 |
| 16 | 1.1067 |
| 17 | 1.1133 |
| 18 | 1.1200 |
| 19 | 1.1267 |
| 20 | 1.1333 |
| 21 | 1.1400 |
| 22 | 1.1467 |
| 23 | 1.1533 |
| 24 | 1.1600 |
| 25 | 1.1667 |
| 26 | 1.1733 |
| 27 | 1.1800 |
| 28 | 1.1867 |
| 29 | 1.1933 |
| 30 | 1.2000 |
| 31 | 1.2067 |
| 32 | 1.2133 |
| 33 | 1.2200 |
| 34 | 1.2267 |
| 35 | 1.2333 |
| 36 | 1.2400 |
| 37 | 1.2467 |
| 38 | 1.2533 |
| 39 | 1.2600 |
| 40 | 1.2667 |
| 41 | 1.2733 |
| 42 | 1.2800 |
| 43 | 1.2867 |
| 44 | 1.2933 |
| 45 | 1.3000 |
| 46 | 1.3067 |
| 47 | 1.3133 |
| 48 | 1.3200 |
Worked example
What factor applies 60 months before full retirement age?
- Read the row for -60 months, giving 0.7000.
- The first 36 early months take 5/9 of 1 percent each, then 24 months take 5/12 of 1 percent.
The factor is 0.7000, so the benefit is 70 percent of PIA.
How these figures were checked
Every factor on this page is recomputed before the site can build, by a separate program that works a different way: repeated multiplication instead of a power function, a period-by-period sum instead of a closed-form annuity factor, and a solved loan schedule instead of a payment formula. If the two methods disagree anywhere, the page does not ship. Printed factor tables carry typos because nobody can check three thousand numbers by hand; this one is checked on every build.
Keep reading
This page is educational material, not financial advice. The figures come from the formula shown and assume the inputs you enter hold for the whole term. Your own rate, fees, taxes and timing will differ, so treat the output as arithmetic to check a decision against, not as a recommendation.