It is impossible to deny the importance of Social Security to American society. On the other hand, it is also true that the government has made many changes throughout history. Although the core remains intact, they have made many changes in terms of the amount received.
In this regard it is interesting to think about what the value of benefits is today and what it was in the past. The amount of money received 50 years ago was much lower than what is received today, even taking into account the inflation and all that goes around it. In short, now people who receive a Social Security check receive up to three times more than they did in the past.
The following is a list of the amount of money Social Security used to pay out and the equivalent in modern times. In this list you will be able to see the great differences in the amount of money that exist in this respect.
Social Security payment for your year of birth
1950
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $43.86
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $518.12
1951
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $42.14
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $457.44
1952
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $49.25
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $522.51
1953
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $51.10
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $536.07
1954
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $59.14
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $618.11
1955
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $61.90
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $651.80
1956
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $63.09
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $652.12
1957
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $64.58
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $646.14
1958
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $66.35
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $645.47
1959
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $72.78
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $703.16
1960
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $74.04
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $703.25
1961
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $75.65
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $713.72
1962
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $76.19
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $709.29
1963
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $76.88
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $706.36
1964
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $77.57
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $703.50
1965
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $83.92
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $746.64
1966
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $84.35
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $731.94
1967
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $85.37
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $720.77
1968
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $98.86
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $800.99
1969
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $100.40
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $771.24
1970
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $118.10
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $855.76
1971
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $132.17
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $915.25
1972
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $162.35
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,094.59
1973
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $166.42
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,058.57
1974
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $188.21
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,079.90
1975
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $207.18
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,086.72
1976
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $224.86
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,113.01
1977
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $243.00
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,125.52
1978
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $263.20
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,134.94
1979
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $294.30
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,144.42
1980
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $341.40
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,160.63
1981
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $385.97
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,197.73
1982
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $419.30
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,215.02
1983
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $440.77
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,245.44
1984
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $460.57
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,248.68
1985
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $478.62
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,250.59
1986
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $488.44
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,254.10
1987
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $512.65
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,269.87
1988
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $536.77
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,278.91
1989
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $566.85
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,284.20
1990
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $602.56
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,304.15
1991
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $629.32
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,300.97
1992
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $652.64
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,308.76
1993
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $674.06
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,312.40
1994
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $697.34
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,324.70
1995
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $719.80
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,327.02
1996
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $744.96
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,336.59
1997
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $774.84
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,358.98
1998
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $779.69
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,344.84
1999
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $804.30
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,360.57
2000
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $844.48
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,377.17
2001
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $874.44
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,381.16
2002
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $895.00
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,398.71
2003
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $922.08
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,411.22
2004
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $954.89
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,415.21
2005
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,002.00
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,448.38
2006
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,044.40
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,447.17
2007
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,078.60
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,455.45
2008
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,152.90
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,481.32
2009
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,164.30
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,517.62
2010
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,175.50
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,516.25
2011
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,228.57
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,530.25
2012
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,261.61
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,545.68
2013
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,293.83
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,557.82
2014
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,328.58
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,567.19
2015
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,341.77
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,580.79
2016
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,360.13
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,586.59
2017
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,404.15
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,611.62
2018
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,461.31
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,630.41
2019
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,455.22
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,597.28
2020
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,489.30
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,624.20
2021
- Average monthly Social Security payment that year: $1,517.98
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,570.70
2022
- Average monthly Social Security payment in 2022 dollars: $1,615.96
How to know the retirement benefits?
- The first thing you need to do is to create an account in my Social Security.
- On this website, you will have to fill in all your data to access the information.
How to contact the my Social Security platform?
If you have questions or need help, call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call our toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.