The Typical Social Security Check for 87-Year-Old Americans: Where Do You Stand?

If you are 87 or nearing that age, your Social Security payment likely looks quite different from what a 67-year-old retiree receives, and that difference is not just the result of cost-of-living increases. The age when you claimed benefits, the economy you worked through, and even your sex can all shape the monthly amount you receive many years later.

Using a nationwide average as a comparison point can be misleading at this stage of retirement, because the numbers reflect more than a single simple benchmark. Here is what the data shows for Americans at age 87, and why your own situation matters more than the average.

For retirees whose benefits come in below the average, finding ways to stretch retirement income can help make a fixed budget go farther.

Average benefit for 87-year-olds

As of December 2025, the average monthly benefit for retired workers age 87 was $2,015.54, according to the Social Security Administration’s age-by-age beneficiary data. That figure breaks down to $2,180.24 for men and $1,875.35 for women, a difference of about $305 per month.

For context, the average monthly benefit for all retired workers, regardless of age, was $2,071.30 as of December 2025, according to the same SSA dataset. In other words, the typical 87-year-old retiree receives slightly less than the overall retired-worker average.

Why benefits tend to be a little lower at older ages

Social Security benefits are based on your highest 35 years of wage-indexed earnings, known as your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings, or AIME. That figure is used to calculate your Primary Insurance Amount, or PIA, which is the benefit you receive at full retirement age, when you become eligible for 100% of your calculated benefit.

People who are 87 today were born around 1938 or 1939, which means their full retirement age was 65 or close to it, years earlier than the age 67 that applies to people born in 1960 or later. They also earned wages in a different era, when lifetime earnings were generally lower and the taxable maximum was smaller. For reference, the cap on earnings subject to Social Security tax is $184,500 for 2026.

Many people in this age group began receiving benefits decades ago. While annual cost-of-living adjustments still apply, a benefit that started lower years ago can remain behind one that began later or at a higher claiming age, even after repeated increases.

Why the gap between men and women exists

The difference between what men and women receive at age 87 is not due to different Social Security formulas. The benefit calculation is the same regardless of sex. The gap is tied to lifetime earnings.

Women in this generation were more likely to step away from paid work for caregiving, work part-time, or earn less than men over the course of their careers. All of those factors can reduce the 35-year earnings average used in the benefit formula. SSA data for December 2025 shows the same pattern in the broader retired-worker population, with men averaging $2,282 per month and women averaging $1,872, a difference of about $410.

It is also important to note that some women in this age group receive benefits based on a spouse’s record rather than their own, through spousal or survivor benefits. Those benefits can work differently from a retired-worker benefit based solely on personal earnings.

How Social Security becomes more important later in retirement

By the late 80s, Social Security is often no longer just a supplement. For many people, it becomes the steadiest and sometimes the largest source of monthly income. Pensions may have been set decades ago and lost value to inflation. Investment accounts may have been used for years to cover living costs. Social Security, by contrast, is one of the few income sources that rises each year with inflation through the COLA.

That stability matters when planning withdrawals from retirement accounts. Required minimum distributions, or RMDs, from traditional 401(k)s and IRAs generally must begin at a certain age under IRS rules and can push taxable income higher in a given year. When combined with Social Security, that income can affect how much of the benefit is taxed.

Under current IRS and SSA rules, if combined income — including half of a Social Security benefit plus other income such as RMDs, pensions, or investment earnings — exceeds $25,000 for single filers or $32,000 for joint filers, up to 50% of the benefit may be taxable. At higher thresholds, up to 85% of the benefit can be taxed. These thresholds have not been adjusted for inflation in decades, so more retirees cross them over time as other income grows.

Home equity can also play a major role. Many retirees in their late 80s have paid off their mortgages, which can reduce housing costs and help a fixed Social Security check stretch further. Others may consider downsizing or using a reverse mortgage to supplement income, depending on health, housing expenses, and family circumstances.

What the comparison does and does not tell you

Seeing a benefit above or below the age-87 average does not mean something is wrong, and it does not necessarily mean someone has missed out. It usually reflects how long a person worked, what they earned, when they claimed benefits, and the economic conditions during their career — all factors that are already locked in.

A more practical comparison is total monthly income, including Social Security, a pension, investment withdrawals, or part-time earnings, against actual expenses. Health care and long-term care costs often become more significant with age.

Medicare Part B’s standard monthly premium is $202.90 for 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and higher-income beneficiaries pay additional income-related monthly adjustment amounts on top of that. These premiums are often withheld directly from Social Security checks, so they should be included when looking at net benefit amounts.

Bottom line

The average Social Security benefit for 87-year-olds is $2,015.54 per month as of December 2025, according to the SSA, which is modestly below the broader retired-worker average of $2,071.30. The roughly $305 monthly gap between men and women at this age reflects decades-old earnings differences, not a different benefit formula.

Instead of treating these averages like a grade, it is more useful to ask whether total income from Social Security, savings, and any remaining assets is enough to cover retirement costs.

FAQs

Can I work at 87 without losing Social Security benefits?

Yes. Once you reach full retirement age, Social Security no longer limits how much you can earn while collecting retirement benefits. Your earnings may still affect your taxes, however.

Could my Social Security payment increase after my spouse dies?

Yes, if you qualify for a survivor benefit that is higher than your own retirement benefit. In most cases, you receive the larger amount rather than both benefits together. Contact Social Security to confirm your eligibility.

Can a family member manage my Social Security payments if I need help?

Yes. Social Security can appoint a representative payee if you are unable to manage or direct the use of your benefits. A power of attorney or joint bank account does not automatically grant that authority.

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