A few key moves could mean scoring more generous benefits for life.
One of the most important things you can do to set yourself up for a secure retirement is save well during your working years. But we all know how difficult that can be.
You may have told yourself that 2025 was the year you’d increase your 401(k) plan contributions — only to have your car need major repairs. Similarly, you may be planning to boost your IRA savings rate in 2026. But if inflation continues to drive living costs up, that could prove difficult.
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For these reasons, you may end up heavily dependent on Social Security once your career comes to an end. And given that the average retired worker today only collects a little more than $2,000 a month, that could be a problem.
The good news, though, is that there are steps you can take to boost your Social Security benefits. Here are three to focus on if you want to enjoy larger monthly checks.
1. Work at least 35 years
The formula used to calculate your Social Security benefits takes your 35 highest-paid years of earnings into account. What this means is that if you don’t work for at least 35 years, you’ll have a $0 factored into that calculation for each year you’re without an income.
If you’re well along in your career having taken extended time off (for example, to raise children or care for an aging loved one), you don’t necessarily need to resign yourself to working well into your 70s to accumulate a 35-year work history, though. Remember, part-time earnings count as earnings.
Say that based on your earnings record so far, you’ll only have 32 years of work as of age 70, which is generally considered the latest age to file for Social Security (more on that in a bit). If you work part-time for three more years, that income will still count in your Social Security benefits formula. And it’ll be more helpful than three $0 income years.
2. Boost your income as much as possible
The more money you earn (at least up to a point), the more money Social Security will pay you each month in retirement. So it’s helpful to grow your income to set yourself up for larger checks.
But that doesn’t mean your only option is to boost your full-time salary. That may not be within your control. Instead, you want to look to the gig economy for extra income.
Gig or freelance wages absolutely count toward future Social Security benefits, as long as that income is reported to the IRS (which you’re obligated to do anyway). And if you boost your income with a side gig, you can not only set yourself up for more Social Security, but also potentially make it possible to better fund a retirement account so you have a bit more savings to supplement your benefits with.
3. Delay your claim until age 70
Social Security’s full retirement age is 67 for people born in 1960 or later. Waiting until that point means avoiding a reduction in your monthly benefits.
But for each year you hold off on Social Security past full retirement age, your monthly benefits grow 8%. And while this incentive does run out at age 70, you have a prime opportunity to enjoy a very nice increase by sitting tight.
That said, claiming Social Security at 70 is something you may need to plan for. That could mean taking care to grow your skills later in life so you’re able to remain employed through age 70.
It’s hard to delay Social Security until that point if you’re not working, because even if you have savings, you may have to tap them too extensively for comfort to cover your costs in the absence of getting benefits.
A larger Social Security check each month in retirement could give you not just more income, but more peace of mind. Remember, Social Security will pay you a monthly benefit as long as you live. So the more money you’re able to line up each month, the more long-term stability you may be able to enjoy.