What percent of your annual spending comes from Social Security?

[audreyh1]

Somewhere there is a link to common forum acronyms.

 

[Aiming_4_55]

I’m new here. Please define DH. Thank you

DH – dear husband

Other common abbreviations:
DW – dear wife
DD – dear daughter
DS – dear son
DSD – dear stepdaughter
DSS – dear stepson
FIL - father-in-law
MIL - mother-in-law
BIL – brother-in-law
DIL – daughter-in-law

 

[Lewis Clark]

Somewhere there is a link to common forum acronyms.

* Acronyms, abbreviations and Slang Frequently Used on the Forum *

Standard Acronyms and Abbreviations You May Find on the Forum This list will only grow if you submit acronyms you use or that need defining. I will up date this message, adding new acronyms as they are submitted to the list. It is always better to use the full words, but we know how much...

www.early-retirement.org

 

[audreyh1]

Ah, I now see that’s under Early Retirement FAQS! Thanks!

 

[almost there]

Am thinking SS is a high percentage here, as most here are frugal.
Not cheap. But seldom spend much on silly / frivolous things.
A main reason most folks can retire early in the 1st place.
Aside from those with huge pensions, inheritance, etc.
Example, we could spend almost double of what we have available to spend monthly.
And still not touch any principal. Just how we are programed.

Added / example, bought a new Toyota T100 in 1995, new Lexus for the wife in 2005.
Both are still just fine. LOL LOL Fun cars come and go. Same with bikes.
But daily drivers seldom change.

 

[Winemaker]

DW's gross SS is less than 10% of last year's income. Once I claim at 70 in 3+years, it will be ~30% of income. We spend about half of our income.

 

[Teacher Terry]

SS was a 5th of my income and now with the repeal of WEP/GPO it will be a third.

 

[Kabowest]

I'm currently 64 and plan to take SS at 65.5, based on being single and what OSS recommends as the optimal strategy - I may delay further however, this is the current plan. At that time I estimate SS to cover ~40% of my spending.

Update: With the OBBBA I am now delaying until 68 for larger Roth conversions.

 

[freetodream]

Our combined SS is 48% of our income. Frugal and not Cheap and mentioned in previous post!

 

[Time2]

We just started SS in April of 2025, But with what we have spent in the last 7 years of retirement, SS will be about 85% of our spend. However, I just posted in BTD, that we bought a used truck for $38k, so that busted that idea for this year. I had to convince my wife (her truck) we will be OK, it was about 1.2% of our net worth. Oh, that was as of 12/31/2025, I'm about do for my quarterly net worth statement. Not looking forward to a lower number with the market drop. I will say calculating a quarterly net worth is sanity saving, I have a friend that has Quicken do a daily tally of his net worth, down markets are hard on him. I get an idea about the market when we have breakfast once a week.

 

[GravitySucks]

About 10% as I’m collecting Survivors from DW’s earnings. Another couple years till I change to mine at 70 should cover between 45 to 55%.

 

[MarieIG]

This one remains easy math for me. Zero (as we haven't claimed yet).

 

[Handymike]

Currently virtually 100% of SSA ( 2 people ) provides all normal spending. No mortgage, car payments. ROTH dividends get re invested every month. Large ( for us ) cash holding in brokerage accounts pays interest back into accounts. We got out to eat several times a week, enjoy hobbies, travel on occasion. Cash accounts available for emergencies.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Sadly my kid’s dad passed away five months ago, so now I’m getting all of his Social Security. It doubled my income. Between that and my pension plus my little bit of consulting I have a lot more money than I need every month so I am saving some.

I have also upgraded my lifestyle a little bit too. I now have Cleaners come once a month which really helped with my back and neck pain. Back in January 2025 after the Social Security fairness act passed I did buy myself a Subaru Impreza.

My old car was 17 years old and although it didn’t have a lot of miles, I am really appreciating all the safety features that are on it. With as little as I drive, I’ll never need another car.

 

[Flieger]

If I decide to start mine in the 2nd half of this year, SS will be ~60%. Still haven't decided....

Flieger

 

[Tadpole]

Taking a look at my personal financial spreadsheets I can see that my Social Security (I took it at 62 and now 67), provides 58 to 60 percent of my annual spending. The remaining spending is covered by interest, dividends and withdrawals representing 1.1% of my portfolio. My portfolio has grown nicely over the last five years as a result. My low withdrawal rate provides me a very secure retirement and the ability to increase my spending to cope with inflation, take a vacation, buy a new vehicle or just plain splurge on something I like. There is endless debate of when to take Social Security and nobody knows what the right choice is because nobody knows how long they will live. I feel good about my choice to take SS early and my current position. Semi-retired at age 51, fully retired at age 58 and starting to wish I had done it even sooner.

spending is 127% of pre-tax SS; 152% of after-tax SS (using average tax rate applied to 85% of gross SS).

 

[OnTheBeach]

0% - I am only 56 but I am not counting on SS when I turn 62.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

44%

 

[DEC-1982]

Haven't started SS yet, but predicted to cover 56% of spending.

Likewise

 

[big-papa]

For everyday expenses, starting in May with just my wife on SS, it will be 18%. Once we're both on SS when I turn 70, it will be 68%.
Today, an equivalent amount of SS for me comes from a TIPS ladder SS bridge I built.

Cheers

 

[albireo13]

I am retired at 70yo and my wife is just retiring this year. Once she starts pulling SS (next year), our SS income will be about 51% of our spending. We also have a few pensions which will help out. These should cover our normal spending, without touching our savings.

 

[Gark]

Approximately 50%. MFJ both retired several years.

 

[RobLJ]

1/3. After DW claims in 3 years it will be 2/3.

 

[NW-Bound]

I will be claiming my SS soon at age 70. My wife already claimed hers. Together, this is less than 1/3 of our gross income in nominal dollars when still working, and less than 1/4 if we count inflation. Still, the total SS covers all of our basic expenses, because we have no debts, no mortgages, no dependent support. We don't eat that much, and my wife does not even drink. It's enough to live with dignity, to borrow from another thread on essential expenses, meaning we still afford underwear and socks without holes, etc... Add to that just the interests and dividends from our stash, we now have plenty for gifts, donations, travel, and some frivolous stuff.

But, but, but I still like to make more money on the market. It's just fun.

 

[wmc1000]

SSA, started at FRA for 2, provides 100% of all normal spending. No mortgage, car or credit card payments. Federal and State taxes due are primarily from taxable investment account earnings and those are paid from our investment accounts.