Social Security retirement calculator disappeared - how to regain access?

The calculator you're looking for is called the Retirement Estimator. It's still available, but sometimes gets hidden in your account after you start an application. Try going directly to this page: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html instead of through your my Social Security account. You might need to input some verification info again, but it should give you the same calculations. The good news is you don't need to complete your application to use it.

same thing happen to me last yr! the calculatr disappears when u pause an applicatin. so annoying!! i ended up having to call them and the lady walkd me thru finding it again but i forget the steps now sorry

I had THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM! Their website is so confusing and things just disappear. I tried for weeks to get back to the calculator. Finally gave up and just called them but waited 2 HOURS on hold. Ridiculous!!! They should make it easier to find these tools especially for seniors who aren't as computer savvy.

There are actually several different calculators on the SSA website that serve different purposes. The one inside your my Social Security account uses your actual earnings record and gives the most accurate estimate. The public Retirement Estimator also uses your actual earnings but with slightly less detail. There's also the Quick Calculator and the Detailed Calculator, each with different levels of accuracy. Since you mentioned seeing how your benefit increases between ages 62 and 70, you probably want the Retirement Estimator at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html as mentioned above. If you want even more detailed projections with different future earnings scenarios, try the Detailed Calculator (ANYPIA) at ssa.gov/oact/anypia/anypia.html, though it's more complex to use. The reason the calculator disappeared is that the system assumes you're moving forward with filing at a specific age once you start an application, so it removes the comparison tool.

hope u didnt delete ur application by accident! my brother did that trying to get back to the calculator and had to start ALL over again!

One more thing to be aware of - if you're still working, the calculator estimates might not fully account for your additional earnings this year. When you do finally apply, those extra months of work (especially if they're high-earning months) might replace lower-earning years in your top 35 years that are used to calculate your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). This could potentially increase your benefit slightly.

I wanted to delay filing for social security too but I got laid off last year. Had to file earlier than I wanted at 63. Really wish I could have waited till 67 for the full amount. Just sharing my experience.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I was able to use the link to the Retirement Estimator and got the information I needed. I'm definitely going to wait the extra 6 months now that I see how much difference it makes. I also confirmed my application is still saved in the system, just in a suspended status. Really appreciate all the advice!

Great to hear you got it sorted out! Just wanted to add that if you're planning to work those extra 6 months, make sure to keep track of your earnings. If you end up earning more than the annual limit ($22,320 for 2024 if you're under FRA), it could affect your benefits if you decide to claim early. But since you're waiting anyway, those extra earnings will likely help boost your final benefit calculation. Smart move waiting - every month you delay past FRA until age 70 increases your benefit by about 0.67%!

Just wanted to share another tip that might help others in similar situations - if you're still working part-time like Giovanni, you can actually use the "What If" scenarios in some of the SSA calculators to see how different income levels in your remaining working months might affect your final benefit. This can be really helpful for planning whether to pick up extra shifts or projects. Also, if you're married, don't forget to consider spousal benefits in your timing decision - sometimes it makes sense for one spouse to claim early while the other delays to maximize the household's total lifetime benefits.

As someone who's been through the Social Security application process recently, I wanted to add a helpful tip that saved me a lot of frustration. If you bookmark the direct calculator links mentioned here (like the Retirement Estimator), you can avoid having to navigate through the my Social Security portal maze every time you want to run new scenarios. I keep a simple text file on my desktop with all the useful SSA links - the Retirement Estimator, the earnings history page, and the application status page. It's especially helpful when you're doing "what if" planning over several months like you are. Also, I noticed that clearing your browser cache occasionally helps if the calculators start acting glitchy - the SSA website seems sensitive to stored data sometimes.

I've been lurking in this community for a while and finally decided to create an account after seeing how helpful everyone is! I'm about 3 years away from my FRA but starting to research now. Reading through this thread has been incredibly educational - I had no idea there were so many different calculators available or that starting an application could make the comparison tools disappear. The tip about bookmarking direct links is brilliant, and I'm definitely going to set up that text file system. It's reassuring to see people like Giovanni asking the exact questions I've been wondering about. This community seems like such a valuable resource for navigating all the Social Security complexities. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and workarounds!

Welcome Giovanni Rossi! Starting your research 3 years early is incredibly smart - I wish I had done that instead of scrambling to figure everything out closer to retirement. This thread has been a goldmine of information that I never would have known to look for. One thing I've learned from reading all these experiences is that the SSA website can be really frustrating to navigate, but having a plan and the right bookmarks makes a huge difference. Since you have time on your side, I'd recommend trying out all the different calculators mentioned here while there's no pressure, so you'll be comfortable with them when decision time comes. The community here really is fantastic for sharing real-world tips that you just can't get from the official SSA guides. Looking forward to seeing more people jump into these discussions!

I'm new to this community but have been dealing with similar SSA website navigation issues lately. What strikes me about this thread is how many people have encountered the same problem with calculators disappearing after starting applications - it seems like a design flaw that SSA should address. I wanted to add that if you're having trouble with any of the online tools, there's also a paper form (SSA-7004) you can request that gives you a benefit estimate based on your earnings record. It's slower than the online calculators but might be helpful as a backup option. Also, for those mentioning the phone wait times, I've found that calling right when they open at 8 AM local time tends to have shorter hold times. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences and solutions!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really impressed by how helpful and detailed everyone's responses have been! I'm about 5 years out from retirement and had no idea that starting an application could make the calculators disappear - that seems like such a counterintuitive design choice by SSA. The tip about bookmarking the direct calculator links is brilliant, and I'm definitely going to set up that text file system that Aisha mentioned. It's also eye-opening to learn about all the different calculators available - I thought there was just one! The paper form backup option Andre mentioned is something I never would have thought to look for. This thread has been incredibly educational and shows the real value of this community for navigating Social Security complexities. Thanks to Giovanni for asking the question and to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions!

Welcome to all the new community members! As someone who's been navigating Social Security issues for a while, it's wonderful to see so many people starting their research early and learning from each other's experiences. This thread perfectly illustrates why communities like this are so valuable - Giovanni's original question about the disappearing calculator has turned into a comprehensive guide that covers multiple calculators, workarounds for website issues, timing strategies, and even backup options like paper forms. For anyone just joining us, I'd especially recommend the advice about bookmarking direct calculator links and trying out the different tools while you have time to explore without pressure. The collective wisdom shared here - from technical tips about browser cache clearing to strategic advice about spousal benefits and earnings limits - is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes all the difference when dealing with SSA's complex systems. Keep the questions and experiences coming!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm blown away by how comprehensive and helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm about 4 years from my FRA and was completely unaware of the calculator disappearing issue that Giovanni originally asked about. Reading through everyone's experiences and solutions has been incredibly enlightening - from the direct calculator links to the browser cache tips, and especially learning about the different types of calculators available. The fact that so many people have encountered the same website navigation problems really shows how much we need communities like this to share practical workarounds. I'm definitely going to bookmark those direct links and start familiarizing myself with the tools now rather than waiting. Thank you to everyone who has contributed such detailed advice and made this such a welcoming place for people trying to figure out Social Security planning!

As another newcomer to this community, I'm really grateful for this incredibly detailed thread! I'm currently 64 and was actually considering starting my Social Security application soon, but after reading about Giovanni's experience with the calculator disappearing, I think I'll hold off and use the direct calculator links first to do more thorough planning. The tip about the Retirement Estimator at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html is exactly what I needed - I want to see those month-by-month benefit increases clearly before making any decisions. It's also reassuring to know that if I do start an application and need to pause it, the application stays in the system in suspended status rather than disappearing completely. The collective wisdom in this thread about bookmarking direct links, browser cache clearing, and even backup options like the paper form SSA-7004 is invaluable. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this community is proving to be an amazing resource for navigating these complex decisions!

As someone new to this community and Social Security planning, I'm amazed by how much valuable information has been shared in this thread! I'm about 2 years from my FRA and had no idea that starting an application could cause the calculators to disappear - what a frustrating design flaw by SSA. The direct link to the Retirement Estimator at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html is exactly what I needed to bookmark. I'm also going to try that text file system for keeping track of all the useful SSA links that Aisha mentioned. It's reassuring to know there are so many knowledgeable people here willing to share practical workarounds for these website navigation issues. Giovanni, thanks for asking the original question that sparked such a comprehensive discussion. This thread has definitely convinced me to start exploring these calculator tools now rather than waiting until I'm closer to filing. The real-world tips and experiences everyone has shared are incredibly helpful for understanding how to actually navigate SSA's complex systems successfully.