What Will it Take to Max Out Your Social Security Benefit in 2026?

The Social Security Administration is projecting that the maximum monthly Social Security benefit in 2026 will be $5,251 per month. This is a lot of money coming from the government that can go a long way in providing financial security.

It is also very hard to get this much money in monthly Social Security checks. In fact, if you want to be on track to max out your Social Security benefit in 2026, you have to do two big things that only a very small percentage of people do.

Here's what they are.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. You need to pay the maximum possible Social Security tax

Social Security benefits are earned benefits, and the amount you collect is directly based on the taxes you pay into the system. However, while most people pay Social Security taxes on all their earnings, there is a cap on the amount of income taxed for Social Security (and that counts in the Social Security benefits calculation). This cap is called the wage base limit, and it adjusts each year to account for inflation.

When you earn income equal to the wage base limit (or more than that amount), then you earn the maximum wage that counts in calculating your Social Security benefit. Your benefits are based on average wages over 35 years, so you'll have to max out your average wage during at least 35 of your working years in order to be on track to maximize your monthly Social Security benefits as a retiree.

In 2025, the wage base limit is $176,100, and in 2026, the number is going up to $184,500. That means that, if these two years are part of the 35 included in your Social Security benefit calculation, you'd need to have earned at least $176,100 this year and will need to earn at least $184,500 next year to be on track for the maximum Social Security payment.

Since many people earn far less than these amounts, the income requirement you must meet in order to max out Social Security benefits makes it very difficult or even impossible for many people to get the biggest monthly check available.

2. You need to delay claiming Social Security until 70

The next key thing you'll need to do after maxing out your average wage is to wait to claim your benefits far longer than most seniors do. Social Security benefits are available as soon as you turn 62, but if you claim at that age, you'll shrink the amount of your monthly checks.

You will need to wait until at least full retirement age to avoid a reduction in checks, but even waiting that long wouldn't put you on track for the max benefit. That's because you have to wait well beyond your FRA to claim Social Security in order to earn the maximum possible delayed retirement credits. And you can only get the max benefits if you do that.

Because many people want or need to leave work well before age 70, this would mean that you need other income sources beyond Social Security to support yourself until you can finally claim your checks at 70. This needs to be part of your retirement planning process, as you'll need to be sure you have a lot of money coming in to cover your costs while you wait to claim Social Security.

Typically, this means investing a good amount in your 401(k) and other retirement plans so that you can live off this money while delaying your Social Security claim as long as possible. You can also put money into an IRA or HSA to help you cover costs until your Social Security claiming day finally arrives.

If you are able to earn the wage base limit in 2026, and in 34 other years, and you can wait until 70 to start your Social Security checks, you'll max out your benefit. If not, you'll fall short and won't get the biggest check possible.

The reality is, most people don't get so much money from Social Security, and you should make your retirement plans based on what your benefits will realistically look like so you can ensure that your future is secure if you end up with less.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.