Average Social Security Check at Age 68
Updated December 2025 · Source: Social Security Administration
SSA publishes these figures twice a year, in June and December. The June 2026 snapshot will appear here automatically once SSA releases it.
- average monthly check
- $2,052.64
- beneficiaries age 68
- 3,132,924
- average for men
- $2,272.40
- average for women
- $1,836.58
Social Security retirement beneficiaries who are 68 years old receive an average of $2,052.64 per month, as of December 2025, paid to 3,132,924 people at this age. Waiting past full retirement age earns delayed retirement credits, which raise your benefit until age 70.
SSA has not published 2026 figures yet. Based on how the average at this age has changed over the last 5 years, our estimate for 2026 is around $2,172.35 a month. It is a projection, not an official number, and it is flagged in the table below.
Average check at age 68 by year
| Year | Average check | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026estimated | ~$2,172.35 | +$119.71 |
| 2025 | $2,052.64 | +$72.77 |
| 2024 | $1,979.87 | +$31.50 |
| 2023 | $1,948.37 | +$100.27 |
| 2022 | $1,848.10 | +$205.85 |
| 2021 | $1,642.25 | +$91.60 |
| 2020 | $1,550.65 | +$43.35 |
| 2019 | $1,507.30 | +$51.95 |
| 2018 | $1,455.35 | +$33.58 |
| 2017 | $1,421.77 | +$12.34 |
| 2016 | $1,409.43 | +$19.52 |
| 2015 | $1,389.91 | −$14.19 |
| 2014 | $1,404.10 | +$54.38 |
| 2013 | $1,349.72 | - |
Annual increases largely track Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The 2026 row marked “estimated” is our projection, not SSA data: it applies this age group's average change over the last 5 years to the December 2025 figure. SSA's actual 2026 numbers will replace it once published.
Men vs. women at age 68
At age 68, men receive about $2,272.40 per month and women about $1,836.58, a difference of $435.82 (19%), mostly reflecting differences in lifetime earnings and claiming age.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Social Security check at age 68?
- As of December 2025, the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit for beneficiaries age 68 is $2,052.64, based on 3,132,924 beneficiaries (SSA data).
- Do men or women get more at age 68?
- At age 68, men receive about $2,272.40 per month on average and women about $1,836.58, a gap of $435.82 (19%), largely reflecting lifetime earnings differences.
- Is age 68 a good time to claim Social Security?
- Waiting past full retirement age earns delayed retirement credits, which raise your benefit until age 70.