Monthly payments are great, but it will be even better if they are as large as possible. There are many Americans who neglect to plan their retirement properly and that could be negative from a financial point of view.
They believe that the earlier they file for Social Security retirement benefits, the better. But this simple action can reduce your monthly payments by 30%. Not all retirees can afford to get 30% less every month.
On the contrary, there are some seniors who know that the more they delay retirement, the more money they will receive. Do not forget that your benefits will stop growing when you reach the age of 70, so that is the perfect time to file.
WHO CAN RECEIVE PAYMENTS WORTH $3,822 IN 2024?
The Social Security Administration has announced that this $3,822 will be the largest payment at Full Retirement Age in 2024. However, you must meet several conditions to get it and very few American workers can qualify.
Anyway, even if you cannot qualify for such a large payment, you can try to achieve it because it will make your check larger. First of all, you must work for a minimum of thirty-five years.
So far, that does not sound as if it were a real challenge. Mainly because there are millions of Americans who have succeded in doing so. But this is not enough and the Administration will request 2 more conditions.
Being a high-earner is one of them. If you do not earn the taxable maximum for 35 years, you cannot receive the largest payment at Full Retirement Age. And requirements are not over yet.
THIRD REQUIREMENT TO GET A CHECK WORTH $3,822 IN 2024
If you have earned the taxable maximum for 35 years, you will just need to file at your Full Retirement Age in 2024 to get such payments. The normal retirement age depends on when you were born.
For example, if you were born in 1960, your Full Retirement Age is 67. So, if this is not your case, you will not receive a payment of $3,822 in 2024. For your information, the taxable maximum is $160,200 in 2023.
So that is a really difficult thing to achieve too. What is more, this amount keeps increasing with inflation. In fact, it will be $168,600 in 2024. As a bonus tip, if you meet all the SSA requirements, retire at the age of 70 instead and you could get $4,873 in 2024.
Delaying retirement by just a few years can help you boost your monthly payment by 8 percent per year and up to 24% in total. Early filing is only for those who have enough savings and have made wise investments. Some seniors regret having claimed their payment too early because of soaring prices and high inflation.