For many, Social Security benefits are a key part of their retirement plan. So it makes sense that you would want to get the most possible from this monthly source of income.
As of 2025, the maximum Social Security benefit is $5,108 per month — “but in reality, not many people qualify for the maximum amount,” said Kiplinger. Instead, the average Social Security check for retired workers in 2025 is $1,976. On top of that, there are concerns about whether Social Security will even last.
Unfortunately, “most people won’t get close to the $5,108 monthly benefit,” said Bankrate, given the strict criteria, which we will outline below. Still, there are steps you can take to maximize what you do receive.
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How are Social Security benefits determined?
Social Security benefits are “based on your lifetime earnings and the amount you paid into the system through payroll taxes,” said SmartAsset, a personal finance blog. As such, your earnings history plays a determining role in your benefits amount. The Social Security Administration “calculates your benefit amount using what’s known as your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) over your 35 highest-earning years,” with higher lifetime earnings leading to higher benefits and vice versa.
Other factors weighed in the calculation include “the year when collection begins, [full retirement age] and whether an individual will continue to work while collecting benefits,” said Investopedia.
Who gets maximum Social Security benefits?
The highest Social Security benefits “generally go to people who have had maximum earnings their entire working career,” said CNBC, citing Paul Van de Water, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. To get the maximum, “you need to hit two major requirements: 1. Earn above a specific income threshold for 35 years. 2. Delay claiming benefits until age 70,” said Bankrate.
As of 2025, the wage base limit is $176,100, meaning that “if you want that $5,108 monthly check someday, you need to earn at least the wage base limit every year for 35 years,” said Bankrate. Plus, since that limit increases almost annually, “that also means moving forward, you’ll need to earn more each year.”
What are ways to increase Social Security benefits?
If you have missed the boat on that steep salary requirement, there are still ways you can boost the amount you ultimately receive:
Try to increase your earnings. The higher your earnings, the higher your benefits amount. Particularly “if you have some low-earning years in your 35-year work record (say, from part-time jobs during college), you’ll want to replace them with higher paying years,” said SmartAsset.
Work longer. “You’ll get the biggest benefit if you work for at least 35 years,” said Kiplinger. If you work for just 28, for example, Social Security “will use your 28 years of earnings (plus seven zeros, adding up to 35) to calculate your benefit” — obviously decreasing the amount.
Wait to claim benefits. “Claiming early means locking in a permanent reduction — up to 30% less than your full benefit,” said Bankrate. On the other hand, “for every year you wait past your full retirement age (up to age 70), your monthly benefit grows by about 8%.”
