If you turn 70 in October 2026, you were generally born in October 1956. For people born that year, Social Security’s table estimates a monthly benefit of 105.3% of the full-retirement-age amount when benefits start at 67, compared with 129.3% when they start at 70. That is an increase of 24 percentage points of your full-retirement-age benefit—not a universal dollar amount or a 24% increase over the age-67 check. The SSA’s table for people born in 1956 provides the cohort-specific figures.
How much higher is the age-70 benefit than the age-67 benefit?
For someone born in 1956, the Social Security Administration (SSA) lists the full retirement age as 66 years and 4 months. Its estimated benefits are percentages of the full-retirement-age amount:
| Claiming age | Share of full-retirement-age benefit | Months delayed after full retirement age |
|---|---|---|
| 66 years, 4 months | 100% | 0 |
| 67 | 105.3% | 8 |
| 68 | 113.3% | 20 |
| 69 | 121.3% | 32 |
| 70 or later | 129.3% | 44 |
Subtracting 105.3% from 129.3% gives 24 percentage points of the full-retirement-age benefit. Because the table percentages are rounded estimates, treat the comparison as approximate. It is not a 24% increase over the age-67 check: measured against that age-67 amount, the difference is about 22.8%.
Turn the percentages into an illustration
If your own SSA estimate for your full-retirement-age benefit is $1,000 per month, multiplying by 1.053 gives about $1,053 at 67; multiplying by 1.293 gives about $1,293 at 70. These are illustrations based on the SSA table, not personalized benefit estimates. Your earnings record determines your actual benefit. For background on how the underlying retired-worker benefit is computed, see Appendix C of the SSA Annual Statistical Supplement 2025.
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Why waiting raises the monthly amount
For people born in 1943 or later, delayed retirement credits add two-thirds of 1% for each month benefits are delayed after full retirement age—equivalent to 8% for 12 months. The increase stops at age 70. The 1956 cohort table’s 129.3% figure at age 70 reflects 44 delayed months after full retirement age. See the SSA’s delayed retirement credits guidance.
Waiting also means giving up the benefit payments you could have received during the delay. The higher monthly check after claiming does not, by itself, show which start date is financially preferable for you. Your personal comparison depends on your actual benefit amounts and assumptions about your circumstances; the SSA percentages do not establish a universal break-even age.
Details that can affect your estimate and first payments
Birthday and benefit month
Turning 70 in October 2026 generally means a birth date in October 1956, but the precise day matters for some calculations: SSA treats a birthday on the first of a month as if it occurred in the previous month. Check the official 1956 table and your own SSA estimate rather than treating the age-based illustration as an exact personal amount.
Claiming month and payment month
Social Security benefits are paid in the month after they are due. SSA’s example: a benefit due for May is paid in June. That distinction can matter when planning cash flow around a claim date. See SSA’s explanation of receiving benefits before full retirement age.
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When delayed credits appear
Some delayed retirement credits may not appear in the initial benefit amount if you claim before age 70. SSA says credits earned in the year you start benefits may be applied the following January. Its guidance on delayed credits explains this timing.
Working after full retirement age
Work may change the earnings record used to calculate your benefit. SSA says additional earnings can replace a lower-earning or zero year, and earnings after full retirement age do not reduce your benefit. For details about working and claiming, see SSA’s options for working, applying for retirement benefits, or both.
Plan for Medicare separately from your Social Security claim
Waiting until 70 to claim retirement benefits does not mean you should wait until 70 to consider Medicare. SSA advises planning to sign up for Medicare at 65. If you are not receiving Social Security at that age, you may need to apply for Medicare separately; in some situations, delayed enrollment can postpone coverage or cost more. People with employer coverage should check how their specific coverage affects enrollment. See SSA’s Medicare reminder and its guidance on working and benefits.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the percentage comparison can—and cannot—tell you
The SSA table answers how the age-67 and age-70 benefit percentages compare for the 1956 birth cohort. It does not determine the best claiming age for an individual household. Your earnings record sets the underlying amount, while cash-flow needs, other income, health, work, and household circumstances can also matter. Use your personal SSA estimate for dollar figures and consider qualified advice if you need help coordinating claiming with other retirement income.
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