Social Security's full retirement age (FRA) is climbing to 66 years and 10 months in 2025. It's the final stop before 2026, when FRA reaches 67 for adults born in 1960 and later. The rising FRA is just one of several Social Security changes set to take place in a few short weeks.
Average benefits are also rising across the board, thanks to the 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2025. So are maximum benefits. Here's a closer look at how much the wealthiest beneficiaries reaching their FRA this coming year could take home.
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The max benefit at FRA crosses $4,000 for the first time
Those who delay claiming Social Security until their FRA will receive a maximum benefit of $4,018 per month in 2025. That's up from $3,822 this year. And they could be eligible for even more in the future if they choose to delay benefits beyond their FRA.
Those who wait until 67 -- just two more months past their FRA of 66 and 10 months -- will add another 1.33% to their benefit checks, bringing them to $4,071 per month. That's another $53 per month.
Those willing to wait until 70 will qualify for their largest checks. It's not possible to calculate this exact amount now, because it depends on future COLAs that the government hasn't determined yet. But we do know that delaying from 67 to 70 would add another 24% to these retirees' benefits, raising them to at least $5,048 per month. Realistically, they'd get more than this after factoring in the COLAs.
However, it's important to note that even most people reaching their FRA in 2025 won't take home this much. That's because of how the government calculates the maximum benefit.
Most won't reach the max benefit
There are two things you must do if you hope to claim your maximum possible benefit at your FRA. The first is to work at least 35 years. This ensures there are no zero-income years included in your benefit calculation. Even one of these can reduce your monthly checks by several dollars, and this loss is permanent.
The second thing you must do to earn the max benefit is to earn the maximum income subject to Social Security payroll taxes in each of your 35 highest-earning years. In 2024, that's $168,600. In 2025, it's rising to $176,100.
These high income requirements are why most people won't ever achieve the max Social Security benefit. But you can still boost your checks by taking steps to grow your income today. This might involve working overtime, negotiating a raise, or finding a better-paying position elsewhere.
Another thing you can try to boost your monthly Social Security checks is to delay benefits. Every month you delay Social Security increases your checks, and the rate of increase picks up over time. Here's a closer look at how quickly rates increase over time for those with FRAs of 66 and 10 months and 67:
|
Checks Grow by: |
Full Retirement Age (FRA) of 66 and 10 months |
Full Retirement Age (FRA) of 67 |
|---|---|---|
|
5/12 of 1% per month (5% per year) |
From 62 to 63 and 10 months |
From 62 to 64 |
|
5/9 of 1% per month (6.67% per year) |
From 63 and 10 months to 66 and 10 months |
From 64 to 67 |
|
2/3 of 1% per month (8% per year) |
From 66 and 10 months to 70 |
From 67 to 70 |
Data source: Social Security Administration.
Delaying benefits can be a smart play if you expect to live into your 80s or beyond and have enough other sources of retirement income to cover your expenses until you're ready to claim. But if you have health or financial issues, you may be better off claiming earlier, even if it means settling for a smaller lifetime benefit.
