The Highest Social Security Benefit In 2025 Is Three Times The Norm

Social Security benefits are a topic on many Americans' minds these days. The Social Security Administration recently issued its updated benefits amounts for the year 2025. The good news is that it is going up, although not as much as in past years.

As of 2024, individuals who were born back in 1960 or afterwards will not attain what the SSA calls full retirement age until they reach 67. Retirees can take it earlier. Age 62 is the youngest point that Americans can claim these government retirement benefits. Taking them at a younger age will lead to payouts that are permanently reduced. Individuals who need a larger benefit payout may find that the best strategy is to wait past full retirement age to collect delayed retirement credits.

For those workers who reach their full retirement age, the maximum Social Security benefits that they can claim amounts to $4,018 per month in 2025. There is an exception to this rule. Some retirees can be eligible to receive three times the average Social Security benefits. Besides the typical retirement benefits, it is possible to obtain Social Security Disability Insurance (or SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income, known by the acronym SSI.

Most Americans retiring will not enjoy that maximum amount of Social Security retirement benefits. According to the MSN reporting from the SSA, the average January 2025 Social Security benefits equate to $1,976. The individual payment amount is based on earnings made throughout the worker's life.

Social Security Disability Insurance is a second category of retirement payouts that can significantly increase the benefits. It pays out income to individuals who are not able to work any longer thanks to a disability. The SSA just increased the amount of this benefit by 2.5% for the upcoming year.

This amount of money that SSDI pays to disabled workers averaged $1,542 a month last year in 2024. Good news for those who qualify is that the SSA has raised the 2025 payout to $1,580 per month. For disabled worker retirees with a spouse (and at least one dependent child) this amount averages higher at $2,826 for 2025 in Social Security spousal benefits.

For those who are not receiving sufficient retirement benefits to cover their costs of living, there is another category offered by the SSA to consider. Supplemental Security Income is a United States federal government program that delivers additional monthly assistance to older Americans who have disabilities and earn little to no income. This critical program helping retirees in this condition to survive and cover their basic needs is not part of the general Social Security benefits.

SSI payments can also be quite high for those retirees who qualify. Similarly to the SSDI payments, the government has increased these benefits by 2.5% effective in January. Individuals who qualify can receive a maximum of $967 for a single person, per the SSA website. Annually it equates to $11,604.

Married retirees who are eligible for SSI can obtain a significant $1,450 per month. Per year this is $17,400 for a couple. This is on top of their standard Social Security retiree benefits. Retirees who are interested can find more information on the SSI requirements and eligibility on the SSA cost of living adjustment webpage. The SSA also offers its retirement age chart to help retirees figure out what their monthly benefits will be.