5 Ways to Boost Your Social Security Check

Published: 2/18/2025, 5:58:18 AM EST

5 Ways to Boost Your Social Security Check — A Social Security card sits alongside checks from the U.S. Treasury in Washington on Oct. 14, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

While the debate over Social Security’s long-term viability rages on, data shows most Americans rely on the federal government retirement fund to get by in retirement.

According to a November 2024 study from Bankrate, Social Security represents a “crucial income source” for retirees in the United States. The report emphasizes the importance of Social Security on two demographic levels.

Roughly 53 percent of U.S. workers nearing retirement say they’re counting on Social Security to pay critical household expenses.

Among current U.S. retirees, 77 percent say they count on monthly Social Security payments to cover their household budgets.

“American workers have told us they feel behind on their retirement savings, and only about half say they believe they’ll be able to save as much as they’ll need,” said Bankrate senior economic analyst Mark Hamrick in a statement. “Social Security provides a vital backstop for current and prospective nominees.”

Getting the Most From Social Security Payments

One big issue with Social Security (SSA) payments is that retirees living on a fixed income consider program payouts as fixed amounts.

That doesn’t have to happen if you play the Social Security payout game right. Try these five tips to increase your Social Security income monthly through retirement.

Postponing Benefits

If you’re healthy and expect to live a long life, keep working as long as possible to earn more SSA income.

“Waiting until age 70 can yield a monthly check that's up to 32 percent larger than what you'd get if you claimed at full retirement age (at around 66 or 67 years old, depending on age),” says Neal K. Shah, CEO of CareYaya Health Technologies, an elder care services company.

Data shows that Americans who push off retirement benefits until 70 earn approximately 76 percent more than the amount they’d get from their earliest SSA income eligibility at age 62.

Work a Minimum of 35 Years

The longer you work, the more cash you generate from Social Security.

“Social Security calculates benefits based on your 35 highest-earning years, so not working enough years can really whittle down your benefit amount,” Shah told NTD. “Your working years are the right time to concentrate on making as much income as possible. The larger earnings today lead to more substantial benefits tomorrow.”

Match Your Spouse’s Social Security Timeline to Optimize Benefits

Shah advised that you maximize your spousal benefits by timing claims to match your spouse. “If possible, keep working part-time while putting off your benefits,” he said.

While Social Security benefits are complicated, couples are encouraged to work with a trusted financial advisor to get the best results. Married couples can coordinate their SSA claiming dates to generate larger monthly payments, especially for the remaining spouse after the other spouse passes away.

In this scenario, the spouse with the higher potential Social Security payout should wait until age 70 to claim benefits. Meanwhile, the other spouse can claim Social Security early if that spouse earns less or isn’t working. Timing Social Security payouts that way helps provide early income at age 62 for the spouse with the lower work income while allowing the higher-earning spouse to claim larger cash benefits by waiting until age 70 to claim SSA payments.

Shah says he sees most married couples not coordinating Social Security benefits, leading those couples to "thousands of dollars in benefit losses annually, thus leaving both partners underfunded” in retirement.

Maximize 'Peak Earning' Career Income

If you're still working, focus on doing as much as possible to increase your salary in your peak earning years, like switching companies if your current employer won't give you a raise.

“Doing so will increase your lifetime earnings record, which leads to higher Social Security benefits,” says Yehuda Tropper, CEO of New Jersey-based Beca Life Settlements.

If You’re Divorced or a Widow(er), Focus on Timing

Ensure you’re on top of a former spouse’s Social Security payouts, which can lead to higher SSA payments.

“A common mistake we see is divorced people not claiming their ex-spouse's benefits if they were married for 10-plus years,” Tropper told NTD. “Additionally, many widows and widowers don't know they can start [reduced] survivor benefits at 60 years old.”