Retiree Toolkit

Your Social Security check goes up 3.6% in January.

For the average retired worker that is $75 more a month. See what 2027 does to yours.

What will my check be in 2027?

We started you at the average retired worker's benefit. Type your own.

Your monthly benefit from January 2027

$2,170.42

More each month
$75.42
More over the year
$905.04
How the 3.6% was set, and every increase since 1975
  • Every figure read from Social Security, Medicare or the IRS
  • The source document linked on every page
  • Free, with no sign-up

The short list for 2027

Six numbers worth knowing before the new year. Choose any line for the full table and the source.

Medicare Part B premium$202.90 a month2027 not announced yet. This is the 2026 amount.Standard deduction for a single filer$16,600Up $500 from $16,100 in 2026.The most you can put in a 401(k)$25,500Up $1,000 from $24,500 in 2026.Cap on what you pay for Part D drugs in a year$2,400Up $300 from $2,100 in 2026.Earnings you can have before benefits are withheld$25,560Up $1,080 from $24,480 in 2026.The most you can put in an IRA$7,500No change from 2026.

Find your number

Four subjects. Every page shows this year beside last year.

Social Security

Your check, your claiming age, and working while you collect.

Medicare

Premiums, deductibles and the extra you pay at higher incomes.

Taxes

The brackets and deductions for your 2026 and 2027 returns.

Savings

How much you can put in, and how much you must take out.

Or start with a question

Each calculator shows its arithmetic and the official table behind it, so you can check the answer yourself.

Should I start at 62, 67 or 70?Claiming age calculatorWill my benefits be taxed?Taxable Social Security calculatorHow much do I have to take out this year?RMD calculatorWill my income raise my Medicare premium?IRMAA lookupCan I keep working and still collect?Earnings limit calculatorWhat is the tax on my income?Tax bracket calculatorWhat will my 401(k) be worth?401(k) calculator with employer matchWhat could my savings grow to?Retirement savings calculatorHow fast does money grow?Compound interest calculatorHow long will my savings last?Retirement withdrawal calculatorWhen does waiting for a bigger check pay off?Social Security break-even calculatorWhat does signing up late for Medicare cost?Late enrollment penalty calculatorDoes my state tax my pension or IRA?Retirement income tax by stateHow much must I take from an inherited IRA?Inherited IRA RMD calculatorHow is my Social Security benefit figured?Benefit formula calculatorWhat does a widow or widower get?Survivor benefits

The rules, explained

Short guides to the rules behind the numbers. See all guides

How military retired pay is calculated: High-36, BRS and REDUXThe multiplier times base formula, which plan you are in by DIEMS, High-36 vs BRS vs REDUX, the BRS lump sum, COLA and disability retirement, from DoD.Social Security and military service: credits, extra earnings, retired payHow military pay earns Social Security credits, the extra earnings for service from 1957 to 2001, getting both retired pay and benefits, and the earnings test.Which states tax military retirement pay? A guide to all 50 statesThe states that exempt military retired pay, the ones that tax part of it by age, income or service dates, and survivor benefits, quoted from each state.

How we keep these numbers honest

Retirement figures change every year, and a wrong one can cost you real money. So nothing goes on this site from memory.

  1. Step 1

    We read the agency's own document

    A Social Security fact sheet, a Medicare page, an IRS notice. Never a summary of one.

  2. Step 2

    We save a dated copy

    Each figure is tied to the exact sentence it came from, and every page lists its documents.

  3. Step 3

    A check runs on every update

    It fails if a figure no longer matches its source. If a number is not published yet, the page says so.

Spot a mistake? Please tell us and we will fix it against the source.