How to estimate your Social Security payment
Although the actual computation can seem daunting, there is a fairly simple way to estimate what your Social Security benefit will be. The two primary elements used in determining your benefit are your average lifetime earnings and the age at which you start collecting your benefits. You can easily get a benefit estimate from Social Security by calling them, or even easier, creating your own online account at www.ssa.gov. Once you have the basic amount – what your estimated benefit is at your full retirement age – figuring out your benefit at any other age becomes fairly simple math. This article by Todd Campbell appearing at madison.com offers a table that will give you what you need to estimate your benefit amount at any age between 62 and 70. Click here to read more.