Need detailed Social Security benefit calculation formulas beyond SSA website - any resources?

The book I always recommend is "Social Security Made Simple" by Mike Piper. It explains the benefit formulas in detail, including PIA calculations, family maximum benefit formulas, and the impact of different retirement ages. He also has a blog called Oblivious Investor where he explains many of these concepts further. For even more technical detail, check out the SSA's Program Operations Manual System (POMS) at https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/Home?readform - it's the actual internal manual SSA employees use. Not user-friendly at all, but contains every detail if you're willing to dig.

They're not "guarded" its just complicated stuff most people dont want to bother with lol. The basic formula is on their site but yeah it doesnt do all the different scenarios

I've worked extensively with Social Security calculations for years as a financial planner. Beyond what's already been mentioned, I'd recommend: 1. "Social Security Strategies" by William Reichenstein and William Meyer - very detailed on calculations 2. The Social Security Timing software (there's a fee) - financial advisors use this 3. For the special needs child component specifically, look at "Special Needs Planning" by Thomas Brinker The calculations aren't actually guarded, they're publicly available, but they're incredibly complex. The bend points change annually, and there are multiple adjustment factors for early/delayed filing, family maximum calculations, WEP/GPO adjustments, etc. For your spreadsheet, you'll need to understand: - AIME (Average Indexed Monthly Earnings) calculation - PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) formula with bend points - Reduction factors for early filing (5/9% and 5/12%) - Delayed retirement credits (8% per year) - Family Maximum Benefit formula (has its own separate bend points) - Deemed filing rules if you're post-2015 Happy to answer specific questions if you hit roadblocks with your calculations.

I tried to figure this out too and GAVE UP!!! The whole system seems DESIGNED to confuse us. Called SSA 14 TIMES trying to get someone to explain how my disabled adult child's benefits would be calculated and either got disconnected or told different things EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! The worst was when I finally got through after 2 HOURS on hold and the agent told me she "wasn't allowed" to give me the formula!!! What are they hiding???

i use maximize my social security website they have paid version that lets you enter all different scenarios and they show results not the actual formulas tho

To follow up on your special needs child question: It depends on whether your child is qualified as a Disabled Adult Child (DAC). If so, they can receive benefits based on your record equal to 50% of your PIA while you're collecting, or 75% if they're collecting survivor benefits after your death. The complexity comes with the Family Maximum Benefit (FMB) calculation, which limits the total benefits payable on one worker's record. The FMB formula has its own set of bend points separate from the PIA calculation. The other critical thing to understand is that for a special needs child, you need to be aware of the interplay between SSI, SSDI, Medicare and Medicaid. The calculations aren't just about maximizing the dollar amount, but also ensuring continued healthcare coverage.

The Social Security Administration publishes their Annual Statistical Supplement which contains all the formulas and tables. You can find it here: https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/ It's not exactly light reading but it has everything you're looking for.

Thank you all for the incredible resources! I've ordered the Mike Piper book and am going through the POMS documentation (which is indeed as unfriendly as warned). The Annual Statistical Supplement is also proving very helpful. I'm realizing this is more complex than I initially thought, especially with the family maximum calculations and the special considerations for my child. I'm particularly concerned about that SGA limit mentioned for DAC benefits - definitely need to model that scenario carefully. For those who might find this thread later, I'll try to share my spreadsheet once I've got it working properly with all these variables. Thanks again for all the help!

As someone who's been down this rabbit hole before, I'd also recommend checking out the Social Security Administration's "Red Book" - specifically the 2025 version. It's their comprehensive guide to work incentives and contains detailed information about how earnings affect benefits, especially important for your special needs child scenario. One thing I learned the hard way: when building your spreadsheet, make sure to account for the fact that Social Security uses a very specific method for indexing earnings to current dollars using the Average Wage Index (AWI). The historical AWI factors are published annually and you'll need them for accurate AIME calculations. Also, if you're planning to include spousal benefit scenarios, don't forget about the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) if either applies to your situation - these can significantly impact calculations but are often overlooked. The complexity is real, but once you get all the pieces together in a spreadsheet, it becomes incredibly powerful for scenario planning. Looking forward to seeing what you create!