How to Get the Maximum Social Security Benefit in 2026

The maximum Social Security retirement benefit in 2026 is $5,181 per month for a worker who qualifies for the maximum and claims at age 70. By comparison, the maximum is $4,152 at full retirement age and $2,969 at age 62. Qualifying for the maximum requires more than delaying benefits: Your 35-year earnings record and claiming age both help determine your monthly payment. The average retired-worker benefit was $2,088.79 per month as of September 2026, which illustrates how much higher the maximum benefit is than what most retirees receive. ¹

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Maximum Social Security Benefit in 2026 by Claiming Age

The maximum Social Security retirement benefit depends partly on when you start collecting benefits. For workers who earned the taxable maximum in each year beginning at age 22 and claim in 2026, the maximum monthly benefit ranges from $2,969 at age 62 to $5,181 at age 70.

For people reaching age 62 in 2026, full retirement age is 67. Claiming before full retirement age permanently reduces the monthly retirement benefit, while delaying past full retirement age can earn delayed retirement credits through age 70. There is no additional increase for delaying benefits beyond age 70.

These figures represent maximum examples, not what every retiree can expect to receive. Social Security benefits depend on a worker’s earnings history as well as claiming age, and the maximum examples assume earnings at the Social Security taxable maximum beginning at age 22. In 2026, the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security tax is $184,500.

2027 Maximum Social Security Benefit: What Changes Next Year

Social Security benefits will receive a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2027, but remember, the maximum benefit a new retiree can receive also depends on their earnings history and claiming age. ²

Existing Social Security beneficiaries will generally receive the 3.6% COLA beginning with benefits payable in January 2027, while an individual’s actual payment will continue to depend on their earnings record and claiming history.

Maximum Social Security Benefit and How to Get It

In 2026, the maximum Social Security benefit is $4,152 per month for someone who claims at full retirement age and earned the maximum taxable amount each year beginning at age 22. The maximum for someone who waits until age 70 to claim is $5,181 per month. Full retirement age is 67 for people born in 1960 or later. Here’s what you would need to do to maximize your retirement benefit.

Working for at Least 35 Years

The Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates your final benefit amount based on your earnings for the 35 years when you made the most money. It then indexes your annual earnings, meaning it adjusts for inflation, then takes the average of the 35 indexed amounts. 

Here’s the key takeaway: If you have income for less than 35 years, the SSA will give you a zero for those years short of 35.

Those zeroes can bring down your average significantly, so the more years that you can work, the better. You can view your earnings record by creating an online Social Security account.

Waiting Until Full Retirement Age to Claim

Another factor that can increase your monthly Social Security retirement benefit is waiting until your full retirement age (FRA) to claim. You do not necessarily have to keep working until FRA to receive your unreduced retirement benefit; working longer and delaying your claim are separate decisions. Full retirement age has gradually increased under the Social Security Amendments of 1983 and is 67 for people born in 1960 or later.

If you don’t wait until your FRA, the earliest you can start receiving Social Security retirement benefits is age 62. For someone whose FRA is 67, claiming at 62 can reduce the worker’s monthly retirement benefit by as much as 30%. The reduction generally continues for as long as the person receives retirement benefits.

Whether you can delay claiming until FRA may depend on your job security, health, other retirement income and financial needs. Continuing to work can separately increase your benefit if new earnings replace lower or zero-earning years in your 35-year record..

Delaying Social Security Until Age 70

The longer you delay starting Social Security retirement benefits after full retirement age, up to age 70, the larger your monthly retirement benefit can be. For people born in 1943 or later, delayed retirement credits generally increase benefits by two-thirds of 1% for each month of delay, or 8% per year. Someone with an FRA of 67 who waits until 70 can therefore receive about 24% more than their FRA benefit, before accounting for COLAs. Delayed retirement credits stop accumulating at age 70.

You do not have to keep working until age 70 to earn delayed retirement credits. The credits are based on when you start your retirement benefit, not whether you remain employed. It’s also not a sure thing that waiting until 70 maximizes your lifetime benefit.

After all, should you pass away relatively soon after claiming, waiting that long could mean receiving less in total retirement benefits than if you had claimed earlier. Health, longevity expectations, cash-flow needs, taxes and survivor benefits can all factor into the claiming decision.

Earn More at Your Place(s) of Employment

If you have some low-earning years in your 35-year work record (say, from part-time jobs during college), replacing them with higher-earning years could help increase your maximum Social Security benefit. 

That could mean staying in your current role longer, or angling for a promotion to a better-paying position within the same company. You may also consider moving to a new organization to unlock higher pay or enhanced employee benefits. 

Starting a side hustle or business, or taking on a part-time job could also give your earnings record a boost. Keep in mind, however, that increasing your income to max out your Social Security benefits later could result in a higher tax liability now. Taking advantage of all the credits and deductions you’re eligible for can help keep your tax bill as low as possible.

Estimate your tax liability based on your income and filing status using our income tax calculator.

Watch How Much You Earn Before Full Retirement Age

Can you claim Social Security while working? Yes, but if you are younger than full retirement age, some benefits may be temporarily withheld when earnings exceed the annual retirement earnings test limit.

In 2026, if you are under FRA for the entire year, the earnings limit is $24,480. SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 earned above that amount.

If you reach FRA during 2026, the higher earnings limit is $65,160 and applies only to earnings in the months before you reach FRA. SSA withholds $1 for every $3 earned above that amount. Beginning with the month you reach FRA, there is no earnings limit.

Benefits withheld because of the earnings test are not simply lost. When you reach FRA, SSA recalculates your monthly benefit to account for months in which benefits were reduced or withheld because of excess earnings.

Avoid Social Security Tax Traps

The IRS uses four elements to determine when Social Security benefits are subject to income tax. These elements comprise what the service calls provisional income. They are:

• Capital gains and dividends
• Half of Social Security benefits
• Nontaxable interest
• Ordinary income (including wages and IRA withdrawals)

Either up to 50% or up to 85% of your benefits can be subject to federal taxation. The amount of tax you owe depends on your provisional income and filing status.

A 50% tax applies to: 

• Single filers with provisional income between $25,000 and $34,000
• Married couples with provisional income between $32,000 and $44,000

An 85% tax applies to:

• Single filers with provisional income exceeding $34,000
• Married couples with provisional income exceeding $44,000 

For example, say a married couple withdraws $30,000 from an IRA and receives $40,000 in Social Security. Half of that Social Security money ($20,000) is used for the IRS equation and is combined with the $30,000 IRA withdrawal to bring the couple’s provisional income to $50,000. Since that is above the $44,000 threshold for couples, then up to 85% of their Social Security is taxable.

If you’re looking to avoid this, try reducing your taxable income to reduce the amount of taxes. This can be achieved by looking at all of your adjusted gross income (AGI) and evenly distributing your funds over the span of a few years, so there are no sudden increases or decreases.

How COLAs Influence Social Security Benefits

To help offset the effects of inflation, Social Security payments are adjusted annually through cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). These adjustments are based on changes in consumer prices, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). When consumer prices rise, monthly Social Security benefits are increased to help maintain purchasing power for recipients.

Here are some key things to know about how COLAs impact your Social Security benefits. 

• For individuals already collecting benefits, COLAs are typically reflected in their payments starting each January. 
• If you delay receiving benefits past your full retirement age, either to increase your base amount or wait until age 70, your future benefits will still include COLAs, but only for the years after your first payment begins. 
• Delaying does not give you retroactive increases for the years you waited, but the larger base benefit combined with ongoing COLAs can lead to significantly higher monthly income over time.

COLAs are not fixed. In some years, the adjustment may be negligible or even zero, while in periods of high inflation, the increases can be substantial. That can make a difference in your long-term retirement income, and affect how you plan your budget from year to year.

Incorporating future COLAs into your retirement projections may offer a more accurate picture of your expected income. The longer you receive benefits from Social Security, the more noticeable the impact of COLA adjustments becomes. 

How to Determine the Best Return for Your Spouse/Domestic Partner

Married couples have two ways to receive Social Security benefits. A person can claim benefits based on his or her own earnings, or delay claiming them and take half of the partner’s payout instead. To be eligible, a marriage must have lasted for a minimum of 10 years. In other words, you can be divorced, though not remarried if you are claiming the spousal benefit.

Generally, the higher earner should delay claiming benefits based on his or her record. But if that person worked for fewer years and has zeroes on his or her record, you’ll want to compare how much your Social Security checks will be at FRA to decide. 

If your check is bigger, it makes sense for you to claim your spousal benefit and delay filing for the benefit based on your earnings until you’re 70 (your spouse has to file too, in order for you to receive your spousal benefit). When you turn 70, you would file for your benefit. If your check is more than twice as big as your spouse’s benefit, he or she should now file for the spousal benefit.

Another advantage of this strategy: Should the higher earner die first, the widow or widower would receive the larger benefit. 

Let Your Family in on Your Social Security Benefits

In addition to your spouse, other family members could receive your Social Security benefits. That includes:

• Biological children
• Stepchildren
• Adopted children

Those who are eligible can receive payments that amount to one-half of your full allocation on a monthly basis. Children can get benefits if they are unmarried and either under age 18, 18 or19 and in high school full-time, or 18 or older with a disability that started before age 22.

There is also a limit to the amount your family members can claim based on a worker’s earnings record. This is also known as a family benefit maximum (FBM). The maximum only applies when there are multiple payment recipients on one record.

Bottom Line

The maximum Social Security retirement benefit in 2026 is $5,181 per month for a worker who qualifies for the maximum and claims at age 70. Reaching that amount generally requires a long history of earnings at Social Security’s taxable maximum, along with delaying retirement benefits until 70. Working until 70 is not itself required; working longer can increase your benefit if additional earnings replace lower years in your 35-year record, while delaying your claim past full retirement age earns separate delayed retirement credits. Taxes, spousal and survivor benefits, other retirement income and longevity can also affect when it makes sense to claim.

“If you haven’t created a MySocialSecurity account, that’s step one. Check out your expected benefit at various claiming ages; the closer you are to retirement, the more accurate those figures will be, since you’re not going to be logging substantially more income. Then consult a financial advisor who can take a look at your other sources of retirement income to find the optimal Social Security claiming strategy. This can be especially beneficial for dual-earning couples,” said Tanza Loudenback, CFP®.

Tanza Loudenback, CFP® provided the quote used in this article. Please note that Tanza is not a participant in SmartAsset AMP, is not an employee of SmartAsset and has been compensated. The opinion voiced in the quote is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations.

Tips for Retirement Planning

• A financial advisor can help you make decisions surrounding Social Security and your retirement plan. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
• Even after you max out your benefits, chances are Social Security won’t pay as much as what you earned. To make up the difference, you’ll need to draw on your nest egg. To find out how large a nest egg you’ll need, use SmartAsset’s retirement calculator.

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