Want the Maximum Social Security Check? Here's What You Need to Do Now
The top Social Security payment is $5,181 if you delay until age 70. Want to lock in the biggest possible check — or at least grab the largest share you can? Start taking these steps today.
Right now, the maximum Social Security check stands at $5,108 per month if you delay taking your benefits until age 70. While it's an impressive figure, in reality, not many people qualify for the maximum amount. The good news is that there are ways to maximize your benefits now to increase your check. However, if you want it, you’ll have to earn it.
Getting the biggest share of the pot depends on more than just a high salary; your work, your age, marital status, and retirement decisions also count.
Even if you can't get the maximum benefit, there are several ways you can increase the amount that you can get.
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What the average check really looks like
The estimated average monthly Social Security check will rise to $2,071 this year following a 2.8% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). According to the Social Security Administration’s 2026 fact sheet, this represents a monthly increase of roughly $56 to $57 for the typical retiree. For married couples, the average benefit climbs by approximately $88, bringing their new monthly total to $3,208.
Other important Social Security amounts are as follows:
- All retired workers: $2,071
- Married Couples, both receiving benefits: $3,208
- Widowed mother with two children: $3,898
- Widow(er) alone: $1,919
- Disabled worker, spouse and one or more children: $2,937
- All disabled workers: $1,630
How much Is the average Social Security benefit today?
While the average retiree receives about $2,071 per month in 2026, high earners can qualify for much higher maximums. Depending on when you claim, the maximum monthly benefit is $2,969 at age 62, $4,152 at full retirement age, and a peak of $5,181 if you delay until age 70 (assuming a maximum earnings history).
Those 2026 figures account for a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) announced by the Social Security Administration in October. The amount provides a modest boost to the roughly 71 million beneficiaries who rely on these payments to cover essentials like housing, food and healthcare.
While this adjustment lines up with recent inflation trends, it falls short of the historical average COLA of around 3.1% over the past decade.
Unfortunately, the net gain for many could be watered down by rising Medicare Part B premiums, now $206.50 per month — a $21.50 hike that will be deducted directly from most enrollees' benefits. This could effectively reduce the COLA benefit to about $34.50 for the average recipient, eating up nearly 40% of the increase and highlighting the ongoing financial challenges for many retirees.
Although there are no shortcuts to the maximum benefit, here are several tips for getting the most out of your Social Security next year.
Earn a higher wage now to increase your benefit later
The maximum Social Security retirement benefit is $5,181 per month, according to the Social Security Administration. However, this maximum Social Security benefit applies only to high earners with 35 years of maximum taxable earnings who delay claiming until age 70.
For comparison, the average Social Security check is $2,071 per month, after the 2.8% COLA, far below the maximum, highlighting that few retirees qualify for the $5,181 check.
So, wouldn’t it be nice if you could wave a magic wand and earn a higher wage this year? Absolutely. That’s because your retirement benefit depends primarily on your lifetime earnings.
This year, the maximum income subject to Social Security tax is $184,500. So, even if you make over one million in wages before the year ends, Social Security will still only consider your annual taxable maximum income of $184,500. However, there is an earnings cap imposed by Social Security, so any money above that amount won’t affect your future benefits.
Work longer to increase your benefits
Social Security uses your 35 highest-earning years to calculate your monthly benefit. To qualify for a benefit at all, you will need to work the equivalent of ten years of full-time work. However, you’ll get the biggest benefit if you work for at least 35 years. That means, if you only work for 28 years, Social Security will use your 28 years of earnings (plus seven zeros, adding up to 35) to calculate your benefit. If you work more than 35 years, Social Security will take your 35 highest-earning years to calculate your benefit, meaning a higher Social Security check.
This is how it works: Social Security computes your benefits using "average indexed monthly earnings." This average includes up to 35 years of your indexed earnings.
Social Security applies a formula to this average to compute the primary insurance amount (PIA). The PIA is the basis for the benefits that are paid to an individual.
Wait to claim your benefits as long as possible
Delaying your Social Security benefit for as long as possible is one of the best ways to maximize your payments. Full retirement age (FRA) is the age at which you qualify for 100% of your Social Security benefit.
You can take benefits as early as age 62, but every year you claim before your FRA reduces your benefit. If you wait beyond your FRA, you get a delayed retirement credit for each year until you reach 70. At that point, delayed retirement credits stop.
The table below shows you how much you and your spouse would lose if you began claiming Social Security benefits at age 62; when you start receiving benefits early, your benefits will be reduced by a small percentage for each month before your FRA. The percentage reflects the total reduction to your benefits when you start collecting at age 62.
Birth Year | FRA | Number of reduction months | Primary - % reduction | Spouse - % reduction |
1937 or earlier | 65 | 36 | 20% | 25% |
1938 | 65 and 2 months | 38 | 20.83% | 25.83% |
1939 | 65 and 4 months | 40 | 21.67% | 26.67% |
1940 | 65 and 6 months | 42 | 22.50% | 27.50% |
1941 | 65 and 8 months | 44 | 23.33% | 28.33% |
1942 | 65 and 10 months | 46 | 24.17% | 29.17% |
1943 - 1954 | 66 | 48 | 25% | 30% |
1955 | 66 and 2 months | 50 | 25.83% | 30.83% |
1956 | 66 and 4 months | 52 | 26.67% | 31.67% |
1957 | 66 and 6 months | 54 | 27.50% | 32.50% |
1958 | 66 and 8 months | 56 | 28.33% | 33.33% |
1959 | 66 and 10 months | 58 | 29.17% | 34.17% |
1960 and later | 67 | 60 | 30% | 35% |
If you’re still working but take your benefits early, it’s possible your benefits will be reduced:
- If you're under full retirement age (FRA) for the entire year in 2026: $1 in Social Security benefits is withheld for every $2 earned above $24,480 annually, or about $2,040 per month. This applies throughout the year.
- If you reach FRA in 2026: $1 in benefits is withheld for every $3 earned above $65,160 (or about $5,430 per month), but only for earnings in the months before the month you reach FRA. Once you hit your FRA, no earnings limit applies anymore, meaning you can earn unlimited amounts with no benefit reductions.
The good news: Benefits withheld under the earnings test aren't lost forever. When you reach your FRA, Social Security recalculates your monthly benefit to give you credit for those withheld months, essentially treating them as if you hadn't claimed early during that time.
This gives you a higher permanent monthly payment for life, so you recoup the money over the long run. Once you reach FRA, no earnings limits apply anymore, so your benefits won't be reduced, no matter how much you earn.
Stop your benefits if you claimed too early
It is possible to claim your Social Security benefits too early and regret it later on. It happens. If that’s you, you must act fast to reverse your mistake. Social Security allows you to step back on your application if it’s been less than 12 months since you started benefits.
But remember that you’ll have to repay everything you received up to that time, including Medicare premiums and taxes. You can restart your Social Security for a higher amount whenever you’re ready, but Social Security will automatically start your payments once you turn 70.
Keep in mind that this is a strict one-time 'do-over.' Federal rules allow you to withdraw your application only once in your lifetime, and the request must be filed within 12 months of starting your benefits.
Plan ahead for 2027
Very few people get the maximum Social Security benefit amount, so you may have to make do with less when you eventually retire. But Social Security was never meant to be your sole income in retirement, so the less you have to rely on it, the better off you’ll be.
The most recent data from the Federal Reserve’s Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households report (pdf) indicates that 61% of adults had a retirement account (like a 401(k), IRA, etc.), and 39% had no such tax-preferred retirement savings at all.
The same report shows that retirees' most common source of income is Social Security. However, 80% had one or more additional sources of income, such as a pension, an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan, rental income, or employment beyond the age of 65. Investing, saving, and planning are all things you can do this year to prepare for your best 2027.
You can still maximize your benefit
There are ways to boost your Social Security benefit, even if you don't qualify for the absolute maximum. If you’re unsure where or how to make that happen, connect with a financial advisor who can lay out a plan to ensure your finances are in good shape when you do eventually retire.
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