Social Security's largest checks got a significant boost on Jan. 1, rising from $4,555 per month to $4,873 per month. That's an extra $3,816 per year for the wealthiest beneficiaries. But as you might imagine, those kinds of checks are pretty hard to come by.

The Social Security Administration bases your monthly benefit on your income during your working years, and only high earners score the biggest checks. Below, we'll look at how much you need to earn and what else you have to do to claim Social Security's maximum benefit.

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Source Fool.com