The maximum monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker who begins collecting benefits in 2025 is $5,108. That’s over $61,000 in inflation-adjusted retirement income.
However, the average Social Security benefit for a retired worker is slightly more than $2,000 per month. What distinguishes those receiving the highest benefits from the average retiree? In this article, we’ll go over the three major boxes you’ll need to check to receive the maximum monthly Social Security check in retirement.
Step 1: Work in Social Security-covered employment for 35 years or more
As you might expect, most American workers check this box. The average American worker works for more than 40 years, and Social Security covers the majority of jobs, including self-employment.
To be sure, you can qualify for a Social Security benefit after only 10 years of work. However, your initial benefit is calculated using your 35 highest-earning years, with zeros used to account for any missing years.
Step 2: Max out the Social Security taxable earnings in all 35 years
Most people’s streaks end here. Each year, only a portion of earned income is subject to Social Security taxes. Technically known as the “contribution and benefit base,” this is the maximum amount of income that can be used to calculate benefits each year.
For reference, the maximum amount of income subject to Social Security tax in 2025 is $176,100. This is adjusted annually to reflect the national average wage growth rate. Here’s what it looked like in a few specific years to give you an idea of how much you’d need to have earned to max out Social Security:
| Year | Maximum Taxable Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1990 | $51,300 |
| 1995 | $61,200 |
| 2000 | $76,200 |
| 2005 | $90,000 |
| 2010 | $106,800 |
| 2015 | $118,500 |
| 2020 | $137,700 |
| 2025 | $176,100 |
Step 3: Wait as long as possible
If you are at or nearing retirement age, this is the part of the formula that you can still control. Even if you max out your annual earnings in 35 years, that is insufficient to fully maximize your Social Security benefits. To receive the maximum Social Security benefit, you must wait until age 70 to begin collecting it.
It is well understood that the sooner you claim Social Security, the lower your monthly payments will be. However, if you wait beyond the full retirement age, your benefit will be permanently increased by 8% for each year you wait, up to the age of 70.
To illustrate, someone claiming Social Security at full retirement age in 2025 could receive a maximum monthly benefit of $4,018. To be sure, this is more than double the national average benefit for retired workers. However, the maximum monthly benefit for someone who waited until 70 is $5,108, or nearly $1,100 more.
A very exclusive club
As one might expect, very few retired workers receive the maximum possible Social Security benefit. Only about 6% of American workers earn more than the taxable maximum in any given year, so it stands to reason that a much smaller percentage will do so in 35 years. Furthermore, only about 8% of beneficiaries, regardless of income level, wait until they reach the age of 70 to begin collecting benefits. So, the combination of 35 years of high earnings and a start age of 70 is extremely rare.
The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
If you’re like most Americans, you’re a few years (or more) behind in your retirement savings. However, a few little-known “Social Security secrets” could help boost your retirement income.
One simple trick could increase your annual income by up to $23,760! We believe that once you understand how to maximize your Social Security benefits, you will be able to retire with confidence and the peace of mind that we all seek. Join Stock Advisor to find out more about these strategies.
