Let's be honest: We all want the $5,251 max Social Security benefit. That kind of money, coupled with any personal savings you've managed to scrape together, could give most people a comfortable retirement. But there's a reason checks like these are so rare. They require a high income that few ever reach.
Unfortunately, that means that the biggest Social Security benefits are off the table for most of us. But we can still leverage what we know about how the government calculates checks to maximize our own. Start by doing the three things listed below.
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Work at least 35 years before retiring if you can
The Social Security Administration looks at your earnings history over your 35 highest-earning years when deciding how much money to give you. You can sign up with a shorter work history, but then you'll have zero-income years factored into your benefits. Even one of these can permanently reduce your checks.
Working for 35 years helps you avoid this. Working even longer could push your earlier, lower-earning years out of your benefit calculation if you're making more money today. This is one of the simplest ways to boost your checks, provided you can continue working.
Seize opportunities to boost your income today
Higher income today typically translates to larger Social Security benefits in retirement with one exception. If you earn more than the taxable wage base -- $184,500 in 2026 -- you're already paying the maximum amount in Social Security payroll taxes, so increasing your income even further won't boost your future checks.
However, for the average person, getting a raise, finding a better-paying job, or starting a side hustle can make a big difference to their future benefit. Take advantage of these opportunities as they become available to you.
Choose your claiming age carefully
You have a full retirement age (FRA) that the government has assigned to you. It's 67 for most workers today. You must wait until then to claim Social Security if you want the full benefit you've earned based on your work history.
You can claim early, but doing so will shrink your checks up to 30%. Every month you wait to apply slowly adds to your checks, and this continues even after you reach your FRA. Your checks will grow until you qualify for your maximum benefit at 70.
This doesn't mean delaying your application is always your best move, though. If you have a short life expectancy or limited savings, claiming earlier may be a better option.
Your decision doesn't have to be set in stone. As you near retirement, you can decide to claim earlier or later if you prefer.
