Maximum Social Security Benefits Per Family: What’s the Limit?
When someone retires, dies, or getsdisabled,
Social Security benefits
They not only impact the individual but can also reach family members. However, there’s an important point often overlooked: there’s a cap on the total amount a family can receive.
This hat, referred to as the
Maximum Family Benefit (MFB)
This limitation imposed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) might decrease the monthly benefits received by your dependents, despite you continuing to get 100% of your own benefit.
What is the Maximum Family Benefit?
The MFB is the monthly maximum a family can receive collectively if multiple members qualify for benefits based on a single worker’s earnings record. This limit usually ranges from 150% to 180% of the amount you’d receive at your full retirement age (66 to 67, depending on your birth year).
Important: this limit does not affect your personal benefit. If you’re entitled to $2,000 per month, you will still receive it. However, the benefits paid to your spouse, children, or dependent parents could be reduced if the combined total exceeds the MFB.
A concrete example
Let’s suppose:
- You receive $2,000/month.
- The MFB in your case is 175%, which equals $3,500/month.
- Your spouse and two children are each entitled to $1,000, totaling $3,000 in auxiliary benefits.
- Total projected payout: $5,000, which exceeds the $3,500 family cap.
Here, your family members won’t get the complete $3,000. Their payments from Social Security will be decreased accordingly to ensure they do not exceed the total family cap. However, your steady income of $2,000 per month remains unchanged; instead, the additional support you receive will collectively drop to $1,500 as an illustration.
How do you determine the limit?
In 2025, the MFB is calculated using a progressive formula based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) — the benefit you’d receive at full retirement age. The formula applies different percentages to tiers of the PIA:
- 150% of the first $1,567
- 272% of the PIA between $1,567 and $2,262
- 134% of the PIA between $2,262 and $2,950
- 175% of all amounts exceeding $2,950
This layered system implies that the MFB differs for every individual case and needs to be computed separately.
Is it applicable solely to retirement?
No. This restriction still holds even if you pass away and your family qualifies for survivor benefits, or if you receive disability (SSDI) payments. In such instances, the SSA computes the Maximum Family Benefit (MFB) using your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). It’s important to remember that deductions affect only the auxiliary beneficiaries, not the primary worker’s benefit amount.
What can you do?
While you can’t avoid the MFB, you can plan ahead:
- Understand your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA): Set up an account on ssa.gov to approximate it.
- Assess family situations: Utilize SSA’s family benefit calculator or consult with a financial advisor.
- Increase financial diversity: Make sure your partner or kids can utilize additional benefits or retirement funds to reduce reliance on supplementary payments.
Remember
: Most people focus on their own Social Security check, but few calculate what their loved ones will actually receive. The Maximum Family Benefit can be a major limitation if your family relies on those extra payments to stay afloat.