Social Security benefits exist as a lifeline of financial support for tens of millions of vulnerable individuals during their sunset years. Planning for your retirement is a lifelong endeavor, and whilst the Social Security program will be there to support you during your retirement, the amount you receive in benefits is largely tied to your lifetime earnings.
The process is relatively simple: you make monthly contributions towards the dedicated Social Security payroll tax whilst you are earning an income, and later upon retirement, you claim benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). There is, of course, some more fine print worth knowing, but that is the gist of the program.
Additionally, it is also important to note that the SSA limits how much of your income it considers when you make your payroll tax contribution. This is called the maximum taxable earnings, and in 2025, the limit is $176,100.
This means that any income earned above that amount does not factor in to your payroll tax contribution. Since there is a limit on how much of your income is taxed, the SSA also has a maximum benefit amount that it issues. In 2025, the maximum benefit at full retirement age totals to $4,018, whilst the absolute maximum benefit amount issued by the SSA amounts to $5,108.
So how do you become eligible for this hefty $5,108 benefit check? Here are the three requirements that need to be met in order to become eligible for the maximum Social Security benefit.
1. Work for a minimum of 35 years
In order to claim Social Security for your retirement, you will need to have earned a minimum of forty work credits. Work credits are earned by making monthly contributions towards the dedicated Social Security payroll tax.
Each year, you can earn a maximum of four work credits, with the value of one work credit equating to $1,810 In 2025. Technically speaking, you become eligible for Social Security after ten years of work, however, your benefit amount will likely be quite low due to the formula used to calculate benefits.
When the SSA calculates your benefit, it takes into account 35 of your highest earning years. This means that if you worked for a lower amount of years, you will have the non-working years listed with an income of $0 in your benefit calculation, which will ultimately bring down your total. As such, it is recommended to work for a minimum of 35 years if you plan to claim retiree benefits.
2. Earn an income equivalent to the wage cap for 35 years
If you are aiming for the maximum benefit check, in addition to working for a minimum of 35 years, you will also need to have earned an income that is equivalent to or higher than the wage cap for those 35 years. The wage cap, or maximum taxable earnings figure is determined based on national average wages and inflation rates. As such, the wage cap typically increases on a yearly basis.
In 2025, the wage cap is currently $176,100, however, this will be increased to $184,500 in 2026.
3. Delay your retirement
Benefits can be claimed from age 62, however, this is considered as claiming early because the full retirement age is currently 66-67. The full retirement age is the age at which you become entitled to 100% of your benefits. If you claim early, your benefits will be reduced by up to 30%, depending on how many months remain between your current age and your respective full retirement age.
If you delay claiming beyond your retirement age, you will receive an 8% boost to your benefits for each year that you delay your claim until you are 70. This means that if you claim at age 70, you will receive 124% of your benefit.
In 2025, the maximum benefit issued at full retirement age is $4,018, whilst the absolute maximum amount issued by the SSA is $5,108 and this applies to claimants who delayed their retirement. In short, if you want to claim this $5,108 check, you will need to meet all of the following three requirements:
- Work for 35 years
- Earn at the wage cap for 35 years
- Delay retirement until age 70