Social Security benefits provide financial support to millions of retirees, disabled individuals, and surviving family members. As 2025 approaches, many Americans are looking for ways to increase their benefits to ensure a comfortable retirement.
While Social Security is designed to replace a portion of your pre-retirement income, the amount you receive depends on several factors, including your earnings history, the age at which you claim benefits, and whether you qualify for additional benefits through a spouse or survivor status.
By making strategic decisions, you can maximize your Social Security benefits and increase your monthly payments. Below are three key ways to do so in 2025.
1. Delay Claiming Your Benefits
One of the most effective ways to boost your Social Security benefits is by delaying when you claim them. The earliest you can claim benefits is age 62, but doing so results in a permanent reduction in your monthly payments. Waiting until your full retirement age (FRA) or later can significantly increase your benefits.
- If you claim benefits at age 62, your monthly payments could be reduced by up to 30% compared to what you would receive at your FRA.
- Your FRA depends on your birth year. For those born in 1960 or later, the FRA is 67.
- If you delay benefits beyond your FRA, your payments increase by approximately 8% per year until age 70. For example, if your FRA is 67 and you wait until 70, you could receive 24% more in benefits than if you had claimed at your FRA.
Delaying benefits is particularly beneficial for individuals who expect to live longer or have other sources of income to support them in their early retirement years. This strategy ensures a higher monthly income later in life, which can help cover rising healthcare costs and inflation.
2. Continue Working to Increase Your Earnings Record
Social Security benefits are calculated based on your highest 35 years of earnings. If you had years with low earnings or gaps in employment, working longer could replace those lower-earning years with higher-income ones, thereby increasing your benefit amount.
- The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) to determine your benefit amount.
- If you are still employed and earning a high salary, consider working a few more years to boost your benefits.
- Even part-time work in your later years could help replace lower-earning years in your work history.
For example, if you had low earnings early in your career but are now earning a higher salary, working an additional year or two can significantly impact your lifetime Social Security benefits.
Additionally, if you earn more than the taxable maximum in 2025 ($168,600), your Social Security taxes will not increase, but you may still be able to boost your benefits.
3. Maximize Spousal and Survivor Benefits
Married individuals, divorced individuals, or widows/widowers may be eligible for additional Social Security benefits through spousal or survivor benefits. Understanding these options can help you maximize your total Social Security income.
Spousal Benefits
- If you are married or divorced (and were married for at least 10 years), you may be eligible to receive up to 50% of your spouse’s FRA benefit amount.
- If your own Social Security benefit is lower than your spouse’s, you may be able to claim spousal benefits instead.
- Spousal benefits do not increase after FRA, so it’s often beneficial to claim them as soon as you reach full retirement age.
Survivor Benefits
- If your spouse passes away, you may be eligible to claim survivor benefits, which can be up to 100% of their benefit amount.
- You can claim survivor benefits as early as age 60, but they will be reduced if claimed before your FRA.
- If you remarry before age 60, you may not be eligible for survivor benefits from your deceased spouse.
Restricted Application Strategy
- If you were born before January 2, 1954, you may be able to use a restricted application to claim spousal benefits first while allowing your own benefit to grow until age 70.
- This strategy can result in higher monthly payments in the future.
Understanding these options can help couples and surviving spouses make the most of their benefits and ensure financial security in retirement.
Additional Strategies to Consider
In addition to the three primary strategies above, here are a few more ways to increase your Social Security benefits:
- Minimize Taxes on Social Security: Up to 85% of your benefits may be subject to federal income tax if your combined income exceeds certain thresholds. Consider tax-efficient strategies to reduce your taxable income in retirement.
- Take Advantage of Delayed Retirement Credits: If you continue working past your FRA, you can earn delayed retirement credits, which increase your benefit amount.
- Consider Recalculating Your Benefits: If your earnings increase significantly after you start collecting Social Security, you can request a benefit recalculation.
Conclusion
Maximizing your Social Security benefits in 2025 requires careful planning and strategic decision-making. By delaying your claim, continuing to work, and utilizing spousal or survivor benefits, you can increase the amount you receive and secure your financial future.
With the cost of living and healthcare expenses rising, taking the time to optimize your benefits can make a significant difference in your retirement years.
For more information on maximizing your Social Security benefits, visit the Social Security Administration’s official website.
Disclaimer – Our team has carefully fact-checked this article to make sure it’s accurate and free from any misinformation. We’re dedicated to keeping our content honest and reliable for our readers.