Average Indexed Monthly Earnings

December 15, 2025

Share this article

Average Indexed Monthly Earnings

If you are approaching retirement, you might be wondering how much you will receive in Social Security benefits. Your level of benefits will depend on how much you worked and earned in your career, calculated as average indexed monthly earnings (AIME).

The Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates the AIME for each potential recipient using data collected from federal government income records throughout their lifetime. This calculation determines how much you should receive based on your contributions to the program through payroll taxes.

How AIME Is Calculated

The calculation used by the SSA to determine AIME brings together your earnings information across a career and indexes those earnings to a base year. In short, AIME represents your highest-earning years and uses current wage levels to adjust to a monthly sum.

Your monthly sum is calculated by selecting a base year   the year you become eligible for Social Security by turning 60 years old and applying a multiplier to your earnings for each year you worked, with that multiplier increasing each year going back to when you started working.

Your nominal wages are thus multiplied to approximate current earnings. This applies to your 35 highest-earning years. Once the SSA calculates your AIME, it is used to determine your primary insurance amount, which in turn leads to your benefit amount.

What You Need To Know About AIME When Considering Social Security Benefits

The calculation of AIME may seem inflexible, but there are ways you can increase it throughout your career. By forward-planning and making certain career choices, you could see your AIME and benefits increase when you begin receiving Social Security benefits.

Because AIME is calculated using your highest 35 years of earnings, you can increase it by working longer and for more money. In addition, you can aim to earn a higher income as early in your career as possible, since a higher multiplier is applied to the years furthest from your 60th birthday.

Working full-time whenever possible can also help you maximize your AIME, since full-time positions often result in higher earnings. You can also look to grade up your income as your career progresses.

Contact BurnettDriskill for Help Understanding Your AIME

You can calculate average indexed monthly earnings for yourself before you reach retirement age to get an idea of what benefits you can expect. For further information and to learn how you can maximize your benefits once the SSA calculates your AIME, contact BurnettDriskill for a free consultation.

Recent Posts

December 15, 2025
Applying for Social Security Disability can be a long and frustrating process. As part of that process, you may need to go through a consultative exam , which helps to establish the extent of your disability. What is a consultative exam, and what can you expect from that process? Make sure you are prepared by consulting with a member of our legal team.
December 15, 2025
If you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments, it is likely that you have faced many challenges, and these may have directly affected your financial situation. Once financial hardship takes hold, it can be challenging to regain control, and you may have creditors expecting repayment. Some creditors may even use ugly tactics, one of which is the threat of garnishment.
December 15, 2025
It i s important for disabled entrepreneurs who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to understand how deducting impairment-related work expenses can affect SSDI calculations. These deductible expenses may reduce your countable earnings, helping you maintain eligibility for SSDI benefits while continuing to work.
Doctor in white coat, pushing patient in wheelchair down hospital hallway.
December 15, 2025
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a benefit you earn based on your work history and contributions to Social Security throughout your career. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program for individuals with limited financial resources, whose work history is not necessarily a determining factor for eligibility.
December 15, 2025
Why Does the ALJ Want to Know That?    ALJ wants to know The process can get confusing. We’re here to sort it out with you. To start with, let’s look at a common question we get: Why does the ALJ want to know that? Chores  Pets  Social activities  Grocery shopping  Who you live with  Drugs/etc  Why Did the ALJ Ask Me That?  Some questions in your Social Security disability judge make sense. They will often ask about your previous work, your physical limitations, and why you feel you cant work.  But your attorney and the judge will ask other questions about your personal life, such as your social activities and the chores you do around the house. Why do they ask that?  The short answer is that the judge does not have current, full-time job performance to evaluate. He or she often determine whether you can perform a job using other clues about your abilities from your life. Here are a few examples.  Household Chores  The household tasks you can and cant do may be very informative for a Social Security judge. If you tell the judge you cant stand for long periods, but that you have no problem vacuuming the house, the judge may see that as evidence that you are more able.  Pets  You may no think that having a pet makes a big difference to your disability claim. However, if your attorney asks you about it theres a good reason. You may be able to let your dog out, but not be able to take her for a walk. You may be able to feed your cat, but not clean a litter box. These can illustrate your condition better than you think.  Living Arrangements  Do you live with a partner who assists you? Or maybe you have children or elders living with you that you     
December 15, 2025
Many employers offer benefits in addition to wages. Besides health, dental, life, and accident insurance, some employers also offer short-term and long-term disability insurance . This insurance is designed to replace some of your regular income in the event you become unable to continue performing your job due to health reasons. Short-term disability insurance is designed to replace your income in the short term usually around six months. Long-term disability insurance is designed to replace your income over the long term. Ideally, it will pay benefits until you reach your retirement age.
December 15, 2025
COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in our way of life. Not only has it affected our personal and business lives, but it has also changed the way that medical professionals work. Many visits are now done via telemedicine and telehealth, either through video or phone call. Although this is safer and more convenient, it presents some challenges in disability claims.
December 15, 2025
A disability hearing can be intimidating and overwhelming, but it is often a necessary step on the road to receiving benefits. It is your opportunity to be heard by an administrative law judge (ALJ). This blog is a resource to help you be proactive in your preparation.
Show More