These 5 Tips Will Maximize Your Social Security Payments

#2 Work Longer

Your Social Security retirement benefit amount is calculated using a formula in which the main component is your highest 35 years of earnings. So, if you haven’t worked for at least 35 years, then some of those years will be marked zero, which will drag down your average earnings. Which means your benefit amount will be much lower than it could have been had you worked at least 35 years.