Life · Chapter 12 · Benefit Calculation
Primary Insurance Amount (PIA)
Definition
The basic benefit payable at full retirement age, derived from the worker's AIME (Average Indexed Monthly Earnings — lifetime earnings indexed for inflation). Every OASDI benefit — retirement, disability, survivor — is calculated from the PIA.
In plain English
Your Social Security 'sticker price' — every benefit is a percentage of this number.
Exam tip
AIME → PIA → age adjustment. PIA = 100% at FRA.
Easy to confuse with
These are what this term gets tested against — if you can't tell them apart cold, drill the contrast.
Related terms