How Big Are America’s Billionaires’ Social Security Checks?
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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Even billionaires qualify for Social Security — but the size of their checks might surprise you. While they probably won’t rely on these benefits to fund their retirements, they’re still entitled to payments if they meet the same eligibility rules as everyone else.
Here’s what America’s wealthiest could receive — and why it’s less than you might expect.
Do Billionaires Get the Maximum Social Security Benefit?
The amount that billionaires — and all other Americans — receive from Social Security depends on their lifetime earnings, inflation and the average monthly earnings from their 35 most productive years. It’s also affected by the age at which they collect Social Security.
To receive the maximum Social Security benefit, you need to have earned an average of $184,500 per year for 35 years as of 2026. It’s likely that most billionaires clear this baseline. However, they also need to wait until age 70 to collect if they want to receive the true maximum benefit. Here’s a look at how much a billionaire would get in 2026 depending on the age they start to collect:
- At age 62: $2,969 per month
- At full retirement age (66 to 67, depending on the year they were born): $4,152 per month
- At age 70: $5,181 per month
Which American Billionaires Could Collect Social Security?
Billionaires can start collecting at age 62, so many of America’s richest are already eligible. Here are some who qualify based on age:
- Larry Ellison, age 80, co-founder of Oracle
- Warren Buffett, age 94, chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway
- Steve Ballmer, age 69, former CEO of Microsoft
- Rob Walton, age 80, son of Walmart founder
- Jim Walton, age 76, son of Walmart founder
- Bill Gates, age 69, co-founder of Microsoft
- Michael Bloomberg, age 83, co-founder of Bloomberg LP
- Alice Walton, age 75, daughter of Walmart founder
- Jensen Huang, age 62, CEO of Nvidia
Why Working Billionaires May See Reduced Benefits
It’s worth noting that if a billionaire is still working when they begin to collect Social Security benefits, their benefits will be reduced. According to the Social Security Administration:
- Before full retirement age: Benefits are reduced by $1 for every $2 earned above $23,400 (2025 limit).
- In the year they reach full retirement age: $1 is deducted for every $3 earned above $62,160 (2025 limit).
Of course, billionaires typically exceed these limits by a wide margin, so early collection while working could significantly shrink their checks.
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