Your Benefit Inputs
Enter your estimated benefits at different claiming ages to see how COLA compounds differently on each starting amount.
Reduced early benefit from your SSA statement.
Your full benefit at Full Retirement Age.
Maximum delayed benefit with 8%/yr credits.
Historical average is ~2.6%. Recent years have been higher.
📈 Your COLA Projection
All values shown in nominal dollars — what you'll actually receive on your check. COLA adjustments are applied annually to whatever benefit you're receiving.
Why a Higher Starting Benefit Matters More Than People Realize
Year-by-Year Benefit Growth
Showing every 5 years. The "Advantage" column shows how much more the age-70 benefit pays vs. the age-62 benefit after COLA.
Historical COLA context: Since 1975, Social Security COLA increases have averaged about 2.6% per year. The highest was 14.3% in 1980; the lowest was 0% in 2010, 2011, and 2016. Recent years saw unusually high adjustments (5.9% in 2022, 8.7% in 2023, 3.2% in 2024). Your actual COLA will vary — this projection uses a fixed rate for illustration. All figures are in nominal (not inflation-adjusted) dollars.
COLA projections are illustrative only. Actual Social Security COLA adjustments are determined annually by the SSA based on the Consumer Price Index. Past adjustments are not a guarantee of future increases.