How Much Social Security Will You Get If You Make $75,000 A Year?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), only 12.1% of Americans make over $75,000 a year. So if you've achieved this feat, you should know how your benefits are calculated. Social Security benefits are calculated based on your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). To figure this out, the SSA looks at your highest 35 years of earnings, adjusts them for inflation, and then finds the average. This is then used to calculate the monthly benefit you'd get at your full retirement age (FRA) (usually 67 if you were born in 1960 or later).

To calculate it, the SSA applies something called "bend points" to different parts of your AIME. These bend points are designed to give lower-income earners a higher benefit. The formula is updated each year for inflation. In 2023, the SSA used these bend points: 90% for the first $1,115 of AIME, 32% for AIME between $1,115 and $6,721, and 15% for anything above $6,721. However, in 2025, it is now 90% of the first $1,226 of your AIME, 32% of your AIME from $1,226 to $7,391, and 15% of your AIME above $7,391. Using the SSA quick calculator tool these are your Social Security benefits on a $75,000-per-year income.

To estimate the benefits for someone earning $75,000 a year, we will convert this annual salary into a monthly figure. A yearly income of $75,000 is about $6,250 per month. If this has been consistent over 35 years, we approximate the AIME. Using the 2025 bend points for Social Security, the calculation works as follows: 90% of the first $1,226 of AIME results in approximately $1,103.40. Then, 32% of the amount between $1,226 and $6,250, which is $5,024, yields about $1,607.68. These calculations lead to an estimated monthly benefit income of approximately $2,711.08 per month. That is if you retire at 67.

If you decide to hold off retiring until you're 70 years old, your Social Security check grows a bit bigger each year — around 8% annually — as a little "thanks" for waiting. So, if your benefit at full retirement age is $2,711 per month, delaying retirement for three years boosts your monthly benefit by a total of 24%, resulting in an adjusted monthly benefit of approximately $3,362. This is one major reason you might think about delaying your retirement. At the same time, there are hidden downsides to claiming Social Security at 70.

Your final benefit amount isn't set in stone because some factors can change it. The most common is when you decide to start claiming your benefits. If you claim Social Security at your full retirement age (which is 67), you'll get 100% Social Security benefits — no cuts, no bonuses. But if you decide to claim early, say at 62 (the earliest you can start), your monthly benefit could drop by about 30%, a big haircut that is also permanent. If you're patient and wait until after your full retirement age, your monthly check can grow. Like we proved earlier, if you hold off until 70, you could boost your benefit by about 24%.

Secondly, lifetime earnings; the number of years you've worked and your earnings throughout your career, directly influence your benefits. Which roughly translates to the total accumulated earnings over 50 years, typically from age 20 to 69. These are influenced by factors like gender, education, career, and job market conditions, as well as potential career growth, and possible career changes. But overall, longer work histories and higher earnings can mean higher benefits.

Then, there is the Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA), which is the annual adjustment to Social Security benefits designed to keep pace with inflation and maintain the purchasing power of your benefits over time. The consequence is the value of your benefit can vary each year, and the new 2026 COLA could spell trouble for retirees.