or retirees aged 72 in 2025, Social Security benefits are significantly higher than the average for other ages. That’s largely because many have delayed claiming past their Full Retirement Age, benefitted from Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA), and have strong earnings histories.
If you’re wondering exactly how much someone age 72 is getting on average this year, and what influences the amount, this guide covers all the latest figures, rules, and what affects your payout.
Key Figures & Averages in 2025
| Category | Average Monthly Benefit | How It Compares to Overall Average |
|---|---|---|
| Retired workers (all ages) | $2,006.69 | Baseline for retired workers, all ages included. |
| All retired beneficiaries (workers + spouses + survivors) | $1,955.48 | Slightly lower, includes more people with smaller payouts. |
| Average for age 72 retirees | Between about $2,139 and $2,431 depending on work history and when benefits were claimed | Well above average, especially when compared to the all-ages averages. |
Why 72-Year-Olds Often Receive More
Several factors mean retirees at age 72 often have higher Social Security payments:
- Delayed Claiming / Delayed Retirement Credits
Many people wait past their Full Retirement Age (typically between 66-67 depending on birth year) to claim benefits. For each year of delay up until age 70, they earn extra credits (often around 8% per year). By age 72, those who delayed have fully benefited from these increases. - Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA)
Social Security benefits are adjusted annually to account for inflation. In 2025, the COLA increase was about 2.5%. Over time, these adjustments compound. - Strong Earnings Histories
Benefits are based on the average of the 35 highest-earning years of work, indexed for wage growth. Individuals with stable, higher earnings across many years will have a higher Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). - Fewer Early‐Claimers in That Age Group
Since many age 72 retirees delayed claiming, the average is not dragged down by large numbers of people who claimed early (which reduces your benefit permanently).
How Social Security Benefit is Calculated
Here are the main components that determine your payment:
- Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME): Sum of your highest earnings years (up to 35), adjusted for past wage inflation.
- Primary Insurance Amount (PIA): The benefit you’d receive if you claimed at your Full Retirement Age. It’s derived via formula using “bend points.
- Adjustment for claiming age: If you claim before full retirement age → your benefit is reduced; if you claim after up to age 70 → your benefit increases via delayed retirement credits. After age 70, delayed credits stop.
- COLA increases: Annual inflation adjustments help benefits keep pace somewhat with cost of living. In 2025, ~2.5%.
What Age 72 Means in 2025
- People who are age 72 in 2025 likely claimed at or after age 70, or significantly delayed past full retirement age. That’s a strategy that boosts benefits significantly.
- They also have accumulated multiple rounds of COLA boosts since retirement started.
- The average benefit for age 72 is well above the retired-workers average, showing the impact of these choices.
Things That Can Lower Benefit
Not every 72-year-old receives above-average Social Security checks. Here are factors that can reduce what you get:
- Claiming too early, before full retirement age.
- A broken earnings record, years with little or no earnings.
- Filing status (spouses, survivors) may lead to different benefit calculations.
- Taxes and deductions: Some Social Security benefits are taxable depending on your combined income.
- Having reached full benefit age at different times depending on birth year; misalignment with your particular retirement age affects calculations.
In 2025, Social Security retirees aged 72 are receiving average monthly benefits in the range of about $2,139 to $2,431, substantially higher than the overall averages of around $2,000 for retired workers.
This reflects the combined impact of delayed claiming, strong earnings histories, and cost-of-living adjustments.
If you’re planning your retirement or already collecting benefits, understanding how these factors influence your payout can help you make informed decisions.
FAQs
What is the Full Retirement Age (FRA) for someone aged 72 in 2025?
It depends on the person’s birth year, but FRA is generally between 66 and 67. Those aged 72 in 2025 were born around 1953, so their FRA likely was 66 or 66 + some months.
Can you increase benefits after age 72?
Not via delayed retirement credits, because those end at age 70. After that, any increases come from COLA (cost-of-living adjustments), not by waiting longer.
