The average American could increase their lifetime Social Security benefits by over $100,000 with the right claiming strategy—yet 75% of retirees leave money on the table.
Most people don’t understand the complex rules governing Social Security benefits, leading to suboptimal claiming decisions that permanently reduce their monthly payments.
This comprehensive guide reveals 10 proven Social Security strategies to maximize Social Security benefits and increase monthly payments.
You’ll discover delayed retirement credits, spousal benefit optimization, and work incentives that can add thousands to your yearly payments. These claiming strategies aren’t just theory—they’re actionable techniques that could transform your retirement income for life.
10 Social Security Strategies That Could Add $100,000+ to Your Retirement
Are you worried you’re leaving money on the table with Social Security? You’re not alone. Most Americans lose thousands of dollars in benefits because they don’t know the rules. The good news? You can fix this.
Social Security isn’t just a monthly check. It’s probably your biggest retirement asset. The average person gets over $500,000 in lifetime benefits. But with the right moves, you could get much more.
Here’s what you need to know to maximize your Social Security benefits.
How Social Security Calculates Your Benefits (And Why It Matters)
Your Social Security benefit comes from a formula. But don’t worry – you don’t need to be a math expert to understand it.
Here’s how it works:
Social Security looks at your highest 35 years of earnings. They adjust these numbers for inflation. This gives you your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME).
Then they use something called “bend points” to calculate your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). Think of bend points like tax brackets. You get a higher percentage on lower amounts of income.
For 2025, the maximum benefit is $5,108 per month if you wait until age 70. The average benefit is $1,976 per month after the 2.5% cost-of-living increase.
Why this matters: If you have years with zero earnings in your record, those zeros hurt your average. Even one year of good earnings can replace a zero year and boost your monthly check.
Example: Say you have a zero year in your record. You work one more year and earn $50,000. This could add about $42 to your monthly benefit for life. That’s over $500 extra per year, every year.
Strategy 1: Wait Until Age 70 for Maximum Benefits
This is the big one. For every year you delay claiming past your full retirement age, you get 8% more money. That’s guaranteed.
Your full retirement age is probably 66 or 67, depending on when you were born. But you can wait until 70 to claim.
The math: If your full retirement age benefit is $2,000, here’s what happens:
- Claim at 62: $1,400 per month
- Claim at full retirement age: $2,000 per month
- Claim at 70: $2,640 per month
That’s $640 more per month for life. Over 20 years, that’s over $150,000 extra.
The catch: You need to live long enough to break even. This usually takes 12-14 years. If you’re healthy and have family members who lived into their 80s or 90s, waiting often makes sense.
Important: You should still sign up for Medicare at 65, even if you delay Social Security.
When not to wait: If you’re in poor health, need the money now, or don’t expect to live much past 80, claim earlier.
Strategy 2: Maximize Spousal Benefits for Married Couples
If you’re married, you have more options. Spouses can claim up to 50% of the higher earner’s full retirement age benefit.
How it works: Let’s say you worked and your spouse stayed home to raise kids. Your spouse can still get Social Security based on your record.
For 2025, the maximum spousal benefit is $2,054 per month. That’s 50% of the maximum worker benefit of $4,108.
Smart moves for couples:
- The higher earner should usually wait until 70
- The lower earner might claim earlier
- This strategy can maximize your household’s total benefits
Example: John expects $3,000 per month at his full retirement age. His wife Mary has a small benefit of $800. Mary could claim the spousal benefit of $1,500 instead. That’s $700 more per month.
Planning tip: The spousal benefit is based on the worker’s full retirement age benefit, not their actual benefit. So even if John waits until 70 to get $3,960, Mary’s spousal benefit is still calculated on his $3,000 full retirement age amount.
Strategy 3: Use Survivor Benefits Wisely
When one spouse dies, the surviving spouse gets the higher of the two benefits. This makes planning crucial.
Key rules:
- Survivors get 100% of the deceased spouse’s benefit if claimed at full retirement age
- If the deceased spouse delayed past full retirement age, the survivor gets those delayed credits too
- Survivors can switch between their own benefit and the survivor benefit
Strategy in action: Let’s say both spouses have similar earnings. One spouse claims early while the other waits until 70. When the first spouse dies, the survivor switches to the larger benefit.
This strategy can be worth tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime.
Example: Sarah’s husband waited until 70 and was getting $4,000 per month when he died. Sarah was getting $1,800 on her own record. She can now switch to the $4,000 survivor benefit.
Strategy 4: Master the Earnings Test Rules
You can work while getting Social Security, but there are limits if you haven’t reached full retirement age yet.
2025 limits:
- Under full retirement age: You lose $1 for every $2 you earn over $23,400
- The year you reach full retirement age: You lose $1 for every $3 you earn over $62,160 (only counts earnings before the month you reach full retirement age)
- After full retirement age: No limit
The good news: Any benefits they withhold aren’t lost forever. At your full retirement age, they recalculate your benefit and give you credit for the withheld months.
Smart move: In your first year of retirement, you can use the monthly test instead of the annual test. This means you can earn any amount in months before you retire, as long as you earn under the monthly limit ($1,950 for 2025) in the months after you start benefits.
Bonus: Additional earnings might increase your future benefits if they’re higher than one of your previous 35 years.
Strategy 5: Work Smart to Boost Your Highest 35 Years
Every high-earning year could replace a lower-earning year and increase your benefits.
Social Security recalculates your benefits every year if you’re still working. If your new earnings are higher than one of your previous 35 years, your benefit goes up automatically.
The impact: Replacing a $30,000 year with $60,000 in earnings could add about $25 to your monthly benefit. That might not sound like much, but it adds up to $300 per year for life.
Part-time strategy: Even part-time work can help. If you earn $25,000 part-time and it replaces a year you earned $15,000, you still come out ahead.
For business owners: Self-employment income counts too, but you pay both the employee and employer portion of Social Security taxes (15.3% total).
Strategy 6: Know Your Options as a Divorced Spouse
Divorced? You might be able to claim on your ex-spouse’s record, even if they’ve remarried.
Requirements:
- You were married for at least 10 years
- You’re currently unmarried
- You’re at least 62 years old
- Your ex-spouse is entitled to Social Security benefits
The benefit: You can get up to 50% of your ex-spouse’s full retirement age benefit. This doesn’t affect their benefit or their current spouse’s benefit at all.
Smart choice: Compare your own benefit to the divorced spouse benefit. Take whichever is higher.
Multiple divorces: If you were married to more than one person for 10+ years, you can choose the highest benefit.
Remarriage rule: If you remarry, you usually can’t claim on your ex-spouse’s record anymore. But if your new marriage ends, you might be able to claim again.
Strategy 7: Plan for Taxes on Your Social Security Benefits
Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits might be taxable, depending on your other income.
How it works: Social Security uses something called “provisional income” to determine taxes. This includes your adjusted gross income, plus tax-free interest, plus half of your Social Security benefits.
Tax thresholds for 2025:
- Single filers: $25,000-$34,000 (up to 50% taxable), over $34,000 (up to 85% taxable)
- Married filing jointly: $32,000-$44,000 (up to 50% taxable), over $44,000 (up to 85% taxable)
Smart moves:
- Consider Roth conversions before you start Social Security
- Manage your retirement account withdrawals carefully
- Some states don’t tax Social Security benefits (38 states plus DC)
Example: If you convert $50,000 from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA before claiming Social Security, you pay taxes now on the conversion. But later, Roth withdrawals don’t count toward provisional income, potentially keeping more of your Social Security benefits tax-free.
Strategy 8: Coordinate Social Security with Your Other Retirement Money
Social Security works best as part of a bigger plan. Here’s how to make all your retirement money work together.
The bridge strategy: Use your 401(k) or IRA money first while letting Social Security grow at 8% per year. This often beats taking Social Security early.
Required minimum distributions: If you’re over 73, you have to take money from traditional retirement accounts. Plan these withdrawals carefully so they don’t push you into higher Social Security tax brackets.
Health Savings Accounts: If you have an HSA, keep it for last. These accounts are triple tax-advantaged and can cover healthcare costs in retirement.
The bucket approach: Think of your retirement money in three buckets:
- Taxable accounts (use first)
- Tax-deferred accounts like 401(k)s (use middle)
- Social Security and Roth accounts (use last)
This strategy can save thousands in taxes over your retirement.
Strategy 9: Handle Special Situations That Affect Your Benefits
Some situations can reduce your Social Security benefits. But recent changes have helped many people.
Big news for 2025: The Social Security Fairness Act eliminated two rules that reduced benefits for government workers:
- Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
- Government Pension Offset (GPO)
This change affects about 3.2 million people who will see higher benefits.
Other special situations:
- Disability to retirement: Your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits at full retirement age, usually at the same amount
- Military service: You might get extra credits for military service, especially if you served before 1957
- Railroad workers: You might be covered under Railroad Retirement instead of Social Security
If you worked for federal, state, or local government: Check if the recent law changes affect you. You might be entitled to higher benefits now.
Strategy 10: Use the Right Tools and Get Help When You Need It
You don’t have to figure this out alone. There are tools and professionals who can help.
Free government tools:
- Create a “my Social Security” account at ssa.gov
- Use the Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator
- Get your annual Social Security Statement
When to get professional help:
- You have a complex situation (multiple marriages, self-employment, government pension)
- The potential benefit increase justifies the cost
- You’re within a few years of claiming and want to optimize timing
Red flags to avoid:
- Anyone who charges high fees upfront
- Promises that sound too good to be true
- Pressure to make immediate decisions
Good advisors will:
- Show you calculations and explain their reasoning
- Consider your whole financial picture
- Let you take time to decide
Your Next Steps: Turn These Strategies Into Extra Money
Social Security planning isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. But these strategies can help most people get more money.
Start here:
- Create your my Social Security account and check your earnings record
- Estimate your benefits at different claiming ages
- Consider your health, family history, and financial needs
- Make a plan and stick to it
Remember: Small changes can mean big money. Waiting a few extra years to claim could add $100,000 or more to your lifetime benefits.
The key is to start planning now, before you need to claim. Once you start Social Security, many of these strategies are no longer available.
Your benefits are too important to leave to chance. Take control of your Social Security planning today. Your future self will thank you.
