Social Security Gap Persists
Social Security benefits for women average $1,872.43 per month, trailing the average monthly benefit of $2,282.28 for men by $409.85 as of December 2025, fool.com reported.
This persistent gap spans every age group and reflects historical differences in lifetime earnings and fewer years spent in the paid workforce, according to fool.com.
The Social Security Administration bases retirement benefits on an average of wages across a worker’s highest-earning 35 years.
For retirees aged 62, women average $1,285.50 per month compared to $1,572.83 for men, fool.com reported. By age 70, those monthly averages rise to $2,024.08 for women and $2,529.62 for men, according to the same report.
Longer Lifespans Test Retirement Savings
While women collect lower average monthly checks, those benefits must stretch across a longer period. A woman who is 65 can expect to live about 21 more years, while a man at that age is expected to live about 18 more years, fool.com reported. This requires retirement income for women to last roughly three years longer than it does for men.
To help offset rising costs, a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment will take effect in 2027, adding about $73 per month to the average benefit of a 70-year-old woman, fool.com reported. Meanwhile, a Prudential Financial survey for its 2026 Retirement Pulse found that 86% of U.S. adults age 50 and older do not feel free to spend their retirement savings, 24/7 Wall St. reported.
New Age Labels Clarify Social Security Payment Trade-Offs
Full retirement age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. Workers who claim at 62 accept a reduced monthly check, while those who wait until 70 earn delayed retirement credits worth 8% per year.
Under the Claiming Age Clarity Act, introduced in 2025, the Social Security Administration will rename ages 62, 67, and 70 to Minimum Monthly Benefit Age, Standard Monthly Benefit Age, and Maximum Monthly Benefit Age to clarify payment trade-offs, MoneyWise.com reported.
Many women also qualify for spousal or survivor benefits based on a partner’s work record.
Retirement Planning Questions
How do work credits affect monthly Social Security payments?
Earning 40 credits over a lifetime establishes eligibility for retirement benefits, but it does not determine the size of the monthly payment, according to capitolskyline.com. Monthly checks depend entirely on a worker’s earnings history and the specific age at which they choose to claim.
What changes are coming to payroll tax limits?
The maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will increase to $192,300 in 2027, according to capitolskyline.com. Workers do not pay payroll taxes on earnings above that annual wage base.
How does waiting until age 70 alter a monthly check?
For anyone born in 1960 or later, waiting until 70 generates delayed retirement credits that increase the monthly benefit by 24% before inflation adjustments, 24/7 Wall St. reported.