Over 50 million Americans claimed Social Security benefits as of December 2023, with an average monthly check of $1,905.31. Some only receive benefits for a few years, while others claim for a couple of decades. But it's only a handful that have the opportunity to claim Social Security for close to 40 years.
Just 53,616 Americans continue to receive retirement benefits until they're 100 or older. Over time, that amounts to a substantial lifetime benefit, but the size of their checks might surprise you.
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The oldest retirees don't take home the largest checks
Your Social Security checks are based on your average monthly income during your 35 highest-earning years, adjusted for inflation. Generally, the more you earn, the larger your checks will be. Some high earners whose incomes exceed the $176,100 payroll tax cap in 2025 will find their extra earnings don't affect their Social Security benefits, but this isn't an issue for most people.
Since average earnings tend to rise over time, you'd expect to see younger workers -- those with higher average monthly earnings -- receive larger checks. And we do see this to some extent. A 70-year-old claimer took home an average of about $2,037.54 in December 2023.
By contrast, Social Security recipients aged 100 or older only had an average benefit of $1,705.68 per month. That amounts to a little less than $20,500 per year. Keep in mind this average is based on 2023 data that doesn't include the 2024 or 2025 cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). If we add these in, the average benefit for this group today would be somewhere around $1,804.27 per month, or a little over $21,600 per year.
However, while these beneficiaries may not take home the largest checks, they wind up with some impressive lifetime benefits. Someone who claimed Social Security at 65 would get checks for 35 years or more. Some may even get benefits for over 40 years. A $1,705.68 monthly benefit claimed for 35 years gives you a lifetime benefit of more than $716,000. The actual amount is likely lower because the $1,705.68 monthly benefit includes many COLAs. But still, their lifetime benefits are pretty substantial.
A long life isn't the only key to a huge Social Security benefit
Living past 100 is one way to take home a massive amount of Social Security benefits, but it's not something most of us can bank on. However, you can do a few things to optimize your lifetime benefit.
First, do what you can to increase your income today. This could involve negotiating a raise or switching to a better-paying position. Income from a side hustle could also help.
If that's not possible, try to remain in the workforce for at least 35 years if you're able to. This prevents the government from including zero-income years in your benefit calculation that shrink your checks.
Finally, choose the right claiming age for you based on your financial situation and your life expectancy. Claiming early could be the right choice if you can't afford to delay or don't expect to live beyond your 70s. Otherwise, you could see a larger lifetime benefit by applying later.
Keep in mind that no matter what, you'll probably have to supplement your Social Security benefits with personal savings. You may also need to alter your Social Security plan in the future once the government has decided upon a solution to the program's funding crisis.
