If you know anyone on Social Security, you may have heard them complain that their checks don't go far enough. While the average monthly benefit has now climbed to nearly $2,000, that's still well below what the average senior household spends. Yet there are some retirees that could live pretty well off Social Security if they wanted to.
The maximum monthly check is $5,108, which adds up to an annual benefit of over $61,000. This number continues to rise every year, and there are actually only three criteria you have to meet -- but only a few ever pull it off.
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1. Work at least 35 years before retiring
The Social Security Administration bases your benefit on your average monthly earnings over your 35 highest-earning years, adjusted for inflation. You can still claim benefits with a work history as short as 10 years. But if possible, it's worth sticking it out until you reach the 35-year mark.
Claiming checks with a shorter work history means you'll have one or more zero-income years factored into your benefit calculation. Even one of these is enough to permanently reduce your checks by several dollars. This can result in thousands of dollars in lost benefits over your lifetime.
On the other hand, working longer than 35 years could increase your benefits if you're earning more now than you did early in your career. That's because these more recent, higher-earning years slowly push your earlier, lower-earning years out of the benefit calculation.
2. Pay the maximum Social Security payroll tax each year
You probably pay Social Security payroll taxes on all of your income each year, but this isn't true for everyone. In 2025, Social Security tax stops once you earn more than $176,100. This limit adjusts annually for inflation.
You must earn an amount equal to or greater than the annual limit in at least 35 years in order to qualify for Social Security's largest checks. This is the reason most people don't manage to take home the max benefit. Few earn that much annually, and the ceiling only rises with time.
However, even if your income bars you from claiming the maximum Social Security amount, you can still use this knowledge to help you grow your own checks. Anything you can do today to boost your income -- finding better-paying employment elsewhere, negotiating a raise, starting a side hustle -- will likely lead to larger benefits in retirement.
3. Sign up at 70
You can apply for Social Security as early as age 62, and many choose to sign up then. But this isn't always your best option if you're trying to maximize your lifetime benefit. Every month you delay Social Security increases your benefit by anywhere from 5/12 of 1% to 2/3 of 1% per month until you qualify for your largest checks at 70.
If you hope to claim the $5,108 max monthly benefit, you'll need to wait at least this long to sign up. If you claim at 62, your largest checks would be just $2,831 per month in 2025.
It's worth noting that claiming at 70 isn't the right choice for everyone. If you have a short life expectancy, you may get a larger lifetime benefit by claiming early. And if you don't have any other way to cover your expenses until 70, signing up for Social Security early is likely a better option than taking on debt.
Choosing the claiming age that makes the most sense for you is one of the best ways for you to maximize your lifetime Social Security benefit, even if your monthly checks fall short of the program's top prize. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust your planned claiming age if your health or financial situation takes a turn, or if the government makes significant changes to Social Security in the future.
