The maximum Social Security check is $5,108: These are the 3 steps you need to follow to claim it
Though very few retirees can claim a Social Security check this large, here are three steps you can take to increase your benefit.
One’s Social Security benefit is determined by the income that the worker earned, or their spouse or parent earned, during their professional career. In other words, a higher income means one will earn a higher Social Security check. This year, the maximum Social Secuirty check distributed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) is $5,108, with the average in March 2025 being $1,997.13.
How the SSA calculates one’s benefit amount
The SSA bases the Social Security entitlement on data gathered throughout your working life, which is formed into an earnings record. This information is then used, with a three-part process, to calculate the size of payments:
- Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME): The SSA uses your 35 best-paid years to calculate your AIME. The more you earn, the higher your monthly entitlement, up to a maximum threshold of $142,800 (as of 2021).
- Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) – Assuming that you wait until full retirement age (currently 66 years and two months) before claiming Social Security, your PIA is the amount you’ll receive each month from the SSA. Your PIA is comprised of:
- 90% of the first $996 of your AIME;
- 32% of any amount over $996 up to $6,002;
- and 15% of any amount over $6,002
- Age of claim – If you decide to claim Social Security before you reach full retirement age, your monthly entitlement will decrease. This is done on a sliding scale, with more than a quarter of the payment size being lost if you claim at the age of 62. Alternatively, if you delay the payment until you are 70, you can add up to 30 percent to your payment amount.
Based on how the value of your benefit will be calculated, we can begin to understand the steps you can take to try to boost your checks.
The benefits for your retirement when transitioning to a higher-paid position
Starting with the number of years you need to work, not only to be eligible, but also to pay into Social Security. To boost your benefits, you will want to ensure that your income is as high as possible for the years that the SSA will use to calculate your benefit. However, workers might not have much control over their incomes, as they are dependent on what an employer is willing to pay.
If you do have the chance to move to a position where you can earn more, and there is not a significant cost to your personal life, then it could be worth it if it means receiving a higher Social Security benefit each month when you retire.
The higher the pay, the better
The SSA is not allowed to tax income above $176,000 per year, which is where the cap on the value of benefits originates. To earn the maximum monthly payment, you will want to be earning near the cap, which is adjusted for inflation each year that the SSA uses to calculate your benefit check.
You’ll want to wait until you leave the workforce
To receive the $5,108, you will need to wait until you turn 70 to retire. Social Security benefits can be claimed before reaching one’s full retirement age, which is the age at which individuals will not experience reductions to their benefits for leaving the workforce early.
In 2025, retirees who leave the workforce upon reaching their Full Retirement Age (FRA) can receive a maximum monthly payment of $4,018. However, those who choose to work until they are 70 will be rewarded with a bonus added to their benefit checks for exceeding the required 40 quarters of work, based on their birthdate.
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