Do you want the maximum $5,108 monthly Social Security benefit in 2025? Here is the salary you need.

The average retired worker collects about $1,925 a month in Social Security benefits, according to the latest data from the Social Security Administration. But it’s possible to earn far more, with the maximum benefit capped at a whopping $5,108 per month in 2025.

Earning the maximum payout isn’t easy, and there are a few key requirements you’ll need to meet to qualify. Your annual salary will directly affect your benefit amount, and this is the exact amount you need to earn in 2025 to have a chance at the maximum payout.

Your benefit amount is calculated by taking an average of your earnings over the 35 years of your career where you earned the most. This number is then run through a complex formula and adjusted for inflation, and the result is the amount you will collect on your full retirement age.

The higher your salary, the more you earn from social security – up to a limit. This ceiling is the maximum taxable income limit, and it is the highest income subject to Social Security tax. Any income you earn above this limit will not be subject to tax, but it will also not increase your monthly payments.

Most years the maximum taxable income limit will increase slightly to account for changes in inflation. By 2025, that limit is $176,100 a year — but that’s only part of the story.

To earn the maximum benefit amount, you must have consistently met the earnings threshold throughout your career. Meeting the limit for just one or two years can give your benefits a small boost, but it probably won’t be enough to maximize your payments.

For context, if you began your career 35 years ago in 1990, the earnings limit back then was $51,300 per year. Since then, it has steadily increased by usually a few thousand dollars a year.

Most people won’t be able to hit the maximum taxable income limit consistently for decades, and that’s OK. The maximum benefit is not designed for the typical worker, so it is normal not to meet the salary requirements.

That said, there are other ways to increase your Social Security that may be more attainable for many people:

• Delayed claim for benefits: For every month you delay filing after age 62, you’ll earn slightly bigger checks. If you have a full retirement age of 67, applying will earn you 30% more than what you would receive at 62. Delaying until age 70 will result in an even bigger boost of at least 24% on top of your full benefit amount. The average retiree collects about $740 a month more at 70 compared to 62, making delaying benefits one of the most effective ways to increase your monthly income.

• Take advantage of spousal or divorce benefits: If you are currently married and your spouse is entitled to pension or disability benefits, you can collect up to 50% of your partner’s full benefit amount in spousal benefits. Divorced spouses can also receive benefits based on a former spouse’s work record, as long as the marriage lasted at least 10 years.

• Increase your income (a little more): Even if you can’t reach the $176,100 annual earnings limit, increasing your income by a small amount can still result in larger monthly payments. Small amounts can go a long way, and you don’t necessarily have to reach the salary cap to see a difference in your benefit.

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