I’m Collecting Maximum Social Security: Here’s What I Made in My First Job
Written by
Laura Beck
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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When Caroline R. started shelving books at UC Berkeley’s library, she never dreamed she’d end up collecting Social Security’s maximum benefit each month. But through a mix of hard work, good timing and what she calls “outrageous luck,” that’s exactly what happened. Every month, she gets a check for $4,873.
“I was making $4.25 an hour in that library,” Caroline remarked. “And look at me now. It’s a wild world.”
The Early Years: Building a Foundation
Back in 1983, Caroline was just another broke college student, working part-time at Berkeley’s library while studying chemical engineering. She graduated in 1985 and landed her first real job at one of the oil giants.
“My starting salary was $27,000 as a process engineer,” she said. “Peanuts by today’s standards, but I was good at what I did — really good. My boss used to joke that I made everyone else look bad. I ate those compliments up!”
Getting on the fast track early was a huge blessing. Currently, in order to get maximum Social Security benefits, you need to earn at or above the Social Security wage base for 35 years and hold off claiming until you hit 70.
Rising Through the Ranks
By the early ’90s, Caroline headed to another oil company, where she first hit the Social Security tax cap, around $55,500 back then.
“Each year that cap went up, but I was always over it. Did I understand what that meant for retirement? Not really, but I knew enough to know it was a good thing.”
Caroline got her MBA in 1997, and that’s when her career really took off. “The hours were insane — 70-hour weeks were normal. I was part of the generation that invented ‘work hard, play hard,’ but really, I just worked hard,” she explained.
The Executive Suite
From 2013 to 2023, Caroline was in a VP role, consistently earning well above the Social Security maximum taxable earnings (which hit $168,600 in 2024).
“Pure luck,” she said. “Right place, right time, right industry. Again, really, really lucky”
The Waiting Game
When retirement came around, Caroline faced a choice: take $3,822 monthly at her full retirement age of 66 and 10 months, or wait until 70 for the maximum $4,873.
“Waiting wasn’t that tough for me,” she admitted. “I loved my job, had good health insurance and the math made sense. But I know that’s not everyone’s situation.”
Lessons Learned
These days, Caroline splits her time between spoiling her grandkids and volunteering at a STEM program for girls. Looking back, she sees how each step led to her current comfort level.
“Listen, success isn’t just about making bank for a few years,” she said. “It’s about the long game. Every job matters — even shelving books taught me something about showing up and doing the work.”
If you’re hoping to max out your Social Security, Caroline has some advice: “You need to consistently earn above the wage base — $168,600 in 2024 — for 35 years, then wait until 70 to claim. And honestly? You need some lucky breaks. I had plenty. The key is being ready when luck shows up.”
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