10 Ways to Score Higher Social Security Checks

Social Security provides guaranteed income in retirement, so it's natural to want to maximize your benefit. While the rules surrounding Social Security benefits are set by the government, there's still a lot that workers can do to boost their checks. You just have to understand how the program works. Here are 10 strategies that are proven to increase Social Security benefits.

The $17,166 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $17,166 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies.

Your Social Security benefit is based on your average monthly income over your 35 highest-earning years. You must work for at least this long if you want to avoid zero-income years in your benefit calculation. This can reduce the size of your checks significantly.

Working longer than 35 years is often a good thing if you're able to do it. Most people earn more money later in their careers than they do earlier on. These later, higher-earning years start to replace your earlier, lower-earning years in your benefit calculation, resulting in larger checks.

ALSO READ: How to Beat the Average $1,565 Monthly Social Security Benefit

Since your Social Security checks are based on your income during your working years, anything you can do to raise your income today will help boost your checks in the future. You could try to get a raise at your current job, switch employers, or start a side hustle.

The only people this tip won't work for are those already earning over $142,800 in 2021. That's the maximum income subject to Social Security taxes, so anything over this won't help your benefits. This limit will rise to $147,000 in 2022.

The government tracks the income you've paid Social Security taxes on over your lifetime and lists this in your earnings record. You can access yours by creating a my Social Security account. Check it at least once per year to make sure all the information there matches your records.

If you notice an error, report it to the Social Security Administration right away using a Request for Correction of Earnings Record form. Submit this along with any documentation showing your actual income for the year and follow up to make sure the issue is corrected.

Everyone has an assigned full retirement age (FRA) based on birth year. It's between 66 and 67 for today's workers. You must wait until this age to claim benefits if you want the full amount you're entitled to based on your work history. You'll get smaller checks if you start benefits earlier than your FRA, while delaying benefits past your FRA will increase your checks until you hit your maximum benefit at 70.

But that doesn't mean delaying benefits is right for everyone. If you have a terminal illness or you can't pay your bills without help from Social Security, it's better to sign up for benefits earlier.

ALSO READ: Could You Live Off the Average Senior Household's Social Security Benefit?

When you work and claim Social Security while under your FRA, your benefits become subject to the Social Security earnings test. This is where the government withholds some of your Social Security benefits from you if your annual earnings exceed a certain threshold.

The good news is, that money's not gone forever. When you reach your FRA, the government recalculates your benefit to include all the money it previously withheld. But your future checks won't be as large as they would've been if you'd just delayed benefits until you either quit your job or reached your FRA in the first place.

The $17,166 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $17,166 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies.

Married people can either claim benefits on their own work record, if they qualify, or on their spouse's work record. The Social Security Administration will automatically give you whichever benefit is larger. But this isn't as clear-cut as you might think.

Starting Social Security early reduces not only your benefit but also your partner's possible spousal benefit. This is up to 50% of your benefit at your FRA. So it's important to work together to decide when each person will apply for benefits so you can get the most out of the program.

Spouses aren't the only ones who might be eligible for Social Security benefits on your work record. Seniors who have any dependent minor or disabled children may also be able to claim Social Security benefits on their behalf.

Check with the Social Security Administration when you sign up to see if any other members of your household might qualify for benefits, and make sure to claim these too if you can.

ALSO READ: 3 Weird Social Security Rules Every Married Person Should Know

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is an additional government benefit available to blind, disabled, and low-income seniors. You can find out if you're eligible using the Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool.

If you qualify, you can claim these benefits in addition to your Social Security benefits for even larger checks.

Seniors who regret signing up for Social Security early may be able to withdraw their benefit application as long as it's been less than 12 months since they've signed up. You must also return all the Social Security benefits you've received thus far.

This includes benefits paid to family members based on their work record, so you must secure their written permission before you can withdraw your application.

If withdrawing your Social Security benefit application isn't an option, you might be able to suspend benefits once you reach your FRA. To do this, you must notify the Social Security Administration that you want to halt your benefits.

It will then stop sending you checks until you either request that they start again or you reach 70. You'll accrue delayed retirement credits the entire time, so your future checks will be larger.

The $17,166 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $17,166 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies.

Even if you're decades away from claiming Social Security, there's a lot you can do right now to start increasing your benefits. Review the list above for the tips that make the most sense for you right now and start working on them. Keep the rest in mind for later on as you approach claiming age.

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