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Official: up to $2,831 monthly Social Security for 62-year-old retirees in 2025, check how to apply for the maximum
Applying for Social Security is the same process you may be used to, but there is only specific criteria that would allow you to claim the $3,000 payment.
In 2025, 62-year-old retirees could receive up to $2,831 monthly from Social Security, a significant increase from previous years. This boost comes from the 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) announced for next year.
However, it is not as simple as retiring at age 62 and expecting the money to fall into your lap, you have to push the factors affecting your monthly payment to their absolute limit.
The criteria affecting Social Security payments
Although you are eligible to receive benefits after working for at least 10 years, the amount you receive will be computed by averaging your salary for the 35 years where you earned the most.
Higher lifetime earnings result in higher benefits. The more you pay into the system, the more you get back at the end.
The age you retire at is a crucial factor, but we’ll get back to that at the end.
How to claim the $2,831 monthly checks with these criteria
Ensure you have a full 35 years of earnings to avoid zeros in your calculation.
To receive the largest check, try to reach or exceed the maximum taxable earnings limit, $176,100 in 2025, for as many years as possible.
How to more easily receive a larger retirement check
Full retirement age is set at 67 years old for people who were born in 1960 or later. This means you can only receive 100% of your benefit if you retire at that age.
Some people begin claiming Social Security at age 62, the minimum retirement age, when benefits are up to 30% less than what you would receive at the full retirement age of 67.
If you wait even later to retire at 70 then you will get a bonus. However, it is unlikely you are going to want to work this late in your life.
As ever with Social Security, your personal situation dictates which age is best to retire at.
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