Here’s the salary you need to claim the maximum $5,108 monthly Social Security benefit
Getting to the top Social Security benefit — $5,108 in 2025 — isn’t easy.
Former Bankrate writer Rachel Christian is a long-time journalist with a history of reporting on personal finance and business. She wrote about investing at Bankrate and has written extensively about investing for beginners, cryptocurrency, retirement, Social Security and Medicare.
In particular, Rachel brought deep expertise to annuities. As a former writer at Annuity.org, she’s spent years studying these complex products and approaches them with a level of nuance unique among financial journalists. Her coverage was rooted in research, transparency and balanced reporting, cutting through industry bias to give readers a clear-eyed view of when annuities make sense — and when they don’t. Drawing on insights from industry experts and financial professionals, she helped individuals understand the real value and risks of annuities.
Rachel is passionate about making personal finance accessible for everyone by providing accurate information that breaks down complex topics for readers. She has been a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF) with FinCert, a division of the Institute for Financial Literacy, since 2021.
Her work has been featured in publications across the country, including Business Insider, the Tampa Bay Times, Yahoo Finance, Evansville Business and the Orlando Business Journal. She previously worked as a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys watching documentaries, attending concerts and discovering new music.
Financial education is a priceless asset that pays lifelong dividends.
— Rachel Christian
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