The moment a United States citizen begins to collect a monthly Social Security check, it is time for a break. However, before being able to enjoy the golden years to the fullest, a number of requirements must be met. Otherwise, the Social Security check will never reach our pockets.
This time we are talking about the Social Security check for retirement due to age. In the case of the disability benefit, the requirements are different. Disability pensions have more specific requirements and depend a lot on each personal case. In that situation it is better to go directly to Social Security to ask if we are eligible for one of the benefits.
As far as Social Security age retirement benefits are concerned, there are several requirements that must be met. By meeting these minimum requirements we will arrive at a low retirement check, but we can increase it by doing several actions. So we should get the biggest check possible within our own means. Do you meet the requirements to get a retirement by age check?
Eligibility for a Social Security retirement benefit
There are three main requirements to get a retirement check:
- Having a Social Security number. This is obvious, but it is essential to get a check for retirement.
- Have worked a minimum of 10 years. If you have not earned 40 work credits, you will not be able to apply for the age retirement benefit.
- Be 62 years old. Before the age of 62, we cannot apply for an Age Retirement Benefit. This is the minimum age to apply for Social Security, so before that only users with disabilities can apply.
However, getting an age retirement benefit check at age 62 with 10 years of work experience will cause us to have too small an amount. In order to increase the cheque to achieve the maximum $4,558 in 2023 we must consider these aspects and another fundamental one. Still, check through Best Tool to see if you can receive one of the Social Security checks, either retirement or Supplemental Security Income.
Maximize the retirement check by age
Within the Social Security checks, the maximum age retirement check is $4,558 per month. This cheque is difficult to achieve, but it is possible. To do so, we must maximize all aspects:
- Work 35 years.
- Have a high salary during those 35 years.
- Apply for retirement at age 70.
If we do these three steps, our cheque will be very close to $4,558, if not reach it. However, reaching the maximum Social Security check should not be a priority, as there are other ways to achieve stability during our retirement without the need to obsess over the maximum benefit.