2. Work at least 35 years
You must work a minimum of 10 years to become eligible for Social Security benefits on your own work history — although you can claim spousal or survival benefits without working at all. But if you don’t work for at least 35 years, you’ll reduce the size of your checks.
Social Security’s calculation of average earnings takes your 35 highest-earning years into account. If you don’t have a work history spanning that time period, $0s will become a part of your average and you’ll end up with a far lower monthly benefit.
Chances are good that if you work exactly 35 years, you’ll also have some years included where your wages were pretty low. This could happen when you’re just starting your career or if you have a period where you’re unemployed for part of the year. These low-earning years drag your average down, but you could replace them if you worked for longer than 35 years later in life when your salary is higher.
3. Wait until 70 to claim benefits
Finally, if you want the maximum benefit possible each month, you’re going to have to be a late filer.
Although you become eligible to claim Social Security checks at age 62, the maximum benefit is available to people who wait until 70. By delaying, you’ll both avoid early filing penalties and earn the maximum amount of delayed retirement credits.
