Getting the best possible Social Security check in their retirement years is one of the main objectives of US citizens. This type of benefit is essential in many American households as some citizens have no other source of income.
For that reason, getting the biggest check possible is key and fundamental. Without a good Social Security payment, retirement can become a very difficult time in life. In order to get a good check, we just need to maximize our retirement options. And we can only do that during our working life.
How can we maximize our Social Security payment?
In 2025, the maximum Social Security payment is $5,180. Although it is true that reaching such a high figure is not very easy, we can indeed have a high check depending on our work history.
- Retirement age. The minimum age for Social Security is 62, but it is a mistake to apply for the check so early if we want to have a high benefit. In order to enjoy it to the full, it is better to wait until the age of 70.
- Years worked. The minimum number of years worked to avoid a penalty in Social Security is 35 years. Any time less than that will mean we lose part of our benefit. The Administration calculates the cheque based on the 35 years worked with the highest salary.
- The salary as a worker. This section is related to the previous one. If we take this into account, the payment will be higher the higher our salary.
Taking all this into account, we can conclude that it is necessary to have a high wage for 35 years and to retire as late as possible. Only in this way will we be able to obtain a monthly benefit of $5,180, if not something close to it.
Additional Social Security payments
The truth is that if our Social Security payment is too small we can always apply for some of the other benefits offered by the United States Government. Without a doubt, other checks such as SSI or SNAP can be of great help.
On the one hand, SNAP Food Stamps offers a check for up to $292 to buy food. This payment is very useful for all Americans with low incomes. On the other hand, SSI provides up to $967 depending on your monthly income.
