Estimate your Social Security check.

It's a ballpark — roughly ±20%. The SSA's official estimator at ssa.gov uses your actual recorded earnings and is the authoritative number. This tool interpolates an earnings curve from two salaries, which is why it's an estimate. Useful for planning; not for final decisions.

Because of the 35-year rule and the bend points. Once you have 35 solid years, an extra year only helps if it beats one of your existing 35 — and thanks to the 15% top bracket, high-earning years add less than you'd expect. The biggest lever most people have is when they claim, not one more year of work.

There's no universal answer — it depends on health, other income, and whether you need the money. The system is designed so someone with average life expectancy gets roughly the same lifetime total either way. If you expect to live longer than average, waiting usually wins; if you need income now or have health concerns, earlier can be right. This is a personal decision worth discussing with a fiduciary advisor.

No — this estimates only the benefit on your own work record. Spousal benefits (up to 50% of a spouse's PIA) and survivor benefits follow separate rules. If you're married, the household picture can differ substantially.

The SSA's trustees project the combined trust funds can pay full benefits until the mid-2030s, and about 80% of scheduled benefits after that if Congress makes no changes. Most planners model full benefits with a haircut scenario as a stress test — not as a reason to ignore it in planning.