Increase Your Social Security Benefits Even After Retiring: Even after retiring and starting to collect Social Security benefits, many retirees are surprised to learn they can still increase their monthly payments. Whether you’re already receiving benefits or planning to start soon, there are several legitimate strategies to boost your income and make your retirement more financially comfortable.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a complex formula based on your 35 highest-earning years to calculate your benefit. But the story doesn’t end there. Let’s walk through how you can still improve your benefits post-retirement.
Increase Your Social Security Benefits Even After Retiring
| Strategy | Benefit | Key Stat or Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continue Working | Replace low-earning years in your 35-year record | SSA recalculates automatically if new earnings are higher | SSA.gov |
| Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) | Annual increases in benefit amount | 3.2% COLA applied in 2024 | SSA Blog |
| Full Retirement Age Adjustments | Benefit recalculated to add withheld months | Applies if you worked while receiving early benefits | SSA.gov |
| Suspend Benefits | Earn Delayed Retirement Credits | Can increase benefits by 8% per year until age 70 | Bankrate |
| Correct Earnings Record | Ensure accurate calculation | Inaccuracies may lower your benefit | SSA.gov |
| Spousal/Survivor Benefits | Potentially higher payments | Eligible if married, divorced, or widowed | SSA.gov |
Increasing your Social Security benefits after retirement is not only possible but often wise. With strategies like working longer, delaying benefits, and claiming spousal/survivor options, you can maximize your monthly income even if you’ve already started collecting.
How to Increase Your Social Security Benefits After Retirement
1. Keep Working to Boost Your 35-Year Earnings Record
Social Security benefits are calculated using your 35 highest-earning years. If you haven’t worked for 35 years, the SSA adds zeros for the missing years, which lowers your average. Even part-time work after retirement can replace low-income or zero-earning years, raising your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME).
Example: If you worked for only 30 years before retiring, continuing to work part-time for five more years can replace zeros in your record — increasing your monthly check.
And the best part? You don’t have to do anything manually. SSA will automatically recalculate your benefits each year based on your latest earnings.
Check your earnings history on SSA.gov.
2. Benefit from Annual Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs)
Every year, Social Security benefits are adjusted to account for inflation through Cost-of-Living Adjustments.
- In 2024, the COLA was 3.2%, boosting all benefits.
- You don’t need to apply; it’s automatically applied in January.
COLAs ensure that your buying power doesn’t diminish over time.
3. Reap Adjustments After Full Retirement Age (FRA)
If you took benefits before your Full Retirement Age and continued working, the SSA may have temporarily reduced your payments because you earned over the allowed limit.
- But when you hit FRA (typically 66 to 67 years), the SSA will recalculate and increase your monthly check to compensate for those withheld months.
So don’t worry if you had deductions earlier — you get credit for them later.
4. Suspend Benefits to Earn Delayed Retirement Credits
If you’ve reached your Full Retirement Age but are under 70, you can voluntarily suspend your Social Security benefits. Why would you?
- You earn Delayed Retirement Credits: About 8% increase per year you delay up to age 70.
Example: If you suspend benefits at 67 and restart at 70, your monthly check could increase by 24%.
This is especially useful if you took early benefits and then decide you want higher lifetime income.
5. Review Your Earnings Record for Errors
Mistakes happen. And if your earnings record is incorrect, your benefit amount will also be wrong.
- Regularly log into your My Social Security account.
- Compare your W-2s or tax returns with SSA’s records.
- Report any discrepancies immediately.
Fixing even a small error could increase your benefits for life.
6. Check Eligibility for Spousal or Survivor Benefits
If you are married, divorced, or widowed, you may be eligible for:
- Spousal benefits: Up to 50% of your spouse’s full benefit
- Survivor benefits: Up to 100% of your deceased spouse’s benefit
You may even qualify if you never worked but your spouse did.
Pro tip: If your spousal or survivor benefit is higher than your own, you can switch and collect the higher amount.
FAQs
Can I increase my Social Security benefits after I start collecting them?
Yes. You can increase them by continuing to work, correcting errors, or suspending benefits for delayed credits.
Is there a maximum age for delaying Social Security?
Yes, the latest you can delay and earn credits is age 70.
What if I discover an error in my earnings record years later?
You can still request a correction, but you’ll need proof (like tax records or W-2s). Do it as soon as possible.
Will I get notified of COLA increases?
Yes, the SSA mails official COLA notices and updates your online account.
