Having a monthly Social Security payment can be a great financial relief for thousands of households in the United States. However, it is true that sometimes the money from this retirement benefit may not be enough. For that reason, knowing the rules to be able to maximize the check is really important.
If we bear in mind that in order to increase retirement benefits we need to plan our monthly check in advance, it is obvious to bear in mind that if we have already retired we will not be able to increase the payment. Of course, there are ways such as COLA that increase our benefit every year. The Fairness Act has also brought some extra money to some citizens with a Social Security payment.
Likewise, there are other checks that are complementary to Social Security that we can apply for, so all is not lost if we have already applied for retirement payment and it is not too high. In any case, the important thing in all these cases is to control the budget we have and maximize the benefit whenever it is in our hands.
How to increase Social Security in 2025?
Social Security benefits are based on three fundamental elements. On the one hand, the retirement age. On the other hand, the years worked and, finally, the salary during those years worked. While it is true that the salary we get is not always something we can change, we can maximize the other two elements as much as possible.
Therefore, in order to maximize the Social Security check in 2025, we must:
- Have worked a minimum of 35 years.
- Have had a high salary during those 35 years. The higher the salary as a worker, the higher the check in retirement.
- Delay the retirement age as close to 70 as possible.
The minimum retirement age is 62, but it is true that retiring at that time can be a bit counterproductive, as it can cause us to lose part of the benefit. So it is better to wait until 70 or, if you cannot wait until that age, apply for Social Security payment as close as possible to that age.
If we have already accepted the Social Security check, we can always apply for SSI to supplement the payment. This extra check tops up beneficiaries who have a small check by up to $967 a month. If you have a maximum Social Security payment, which will reach $5,180 a month in 2025, you will not be able to get this SSI payment, but if your payment is less you could be eligible to apply for Supplemental Security Income and get it every month.
