Were you born between the 1st and 10th of any month? Congratulations! This Wednesday, March 12, 2025, the Social Security money will drop into your account as a monthly birthday gift. But be careful, it’s not just for you: those with birthdays from the 11th to the 20th will collect on the 19th, and those from the 21st to the 31st will collect on the 26th. The SSA has its schedule well-oiled, as always.
Now, let’s talk about that eye-watering number: $5,108 a month. Yes, you read that right. It is the maximum retirement amount that someone can receive, but… how do you reach that figure? Spoiler: it’s not for everyone. It requires a mix of high salary, saintly patience and a touch of luck.
The secret to being part of the $5,108 club (without millionaire inheritances)
First, forget about shortcuts. The SSA doesn’t magically give away giant checks. To enter this select group, you need three things:
- 35 years earning good salaries: As of 2025, you must have earned $176,100 a year (or more) for three and a half decades. Translation? You have to be one of those who pay taxes even for breathing. If one year you earned less, the maximum amount disappears a little.
- Delay retirement like a pro: The “official” age to retire is between 66 and 67, but if you hold out until you’re 70, your monthly payment goes up to an extra 24%. Think of it as a bonus for not hanging up your boots early.
- Ally yourself with inflation: The cost of living adjustment (COLA) rose 2.5% this year. It’s not a big deal, but every penny adds up when we’re talking about large amounts.
Who’s able to get the maximum retirement payment?
Why does almost no one reach $5,108? Here’s the harsh reality: only 6% of those who earned $50,000 in the 90s would see their income “inflated” to $120,000 today… but if they didn’t maintain that pace for 35 years, it doesn’t apply.
But hey, don’t panic: you can use the tool ssa.gov/estimator to start making predictions about how well you are on track toward a comfortable retirement. What happens if you retire at 67? What if you work until you’re 75? There you can simulate it.
Also review your credits (you need 40 to qualify) and correct errors in your history. Did you find a year where your payments don’t appear? Fix it now to prevent them from being counted at zero! Fun fact: The SSA not only looks at how much you earned, but also how that income “ages.” They use a calculation called AIME to adjust your past earnings for current inflation.
If after all the calculations you are not reaching U$5,108, the average payment is still at $1,850, which is not bad at all in 2025. As you have already seen, 94% of beneficiaries do not reach the maximum, so do not lose your peace by chasing that number and rather pursue an amount that will give you an old age with everything you need covered.