Few factors can have as big of an impact on most seniors' finances in retirement than the size of their Social Security check. Six in 10 retirees say Social Security is a major source of income for their household, according to the most recent edition of Gallup's annual poll on the government program.

While Social Security includes an annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, to help benefits keep up with inflation, many seniors have felt the pinch of rising housing and healthcare prices. The Senior Citizens League estimates the average retiree who started Social Security in 2010 has lost 20% of their purchasing power since then.

The good news for many seniors is that Social Security benefits aren't always set in stone. There are ways you can increase your benefits beyond the annual COLA, and it may be worth exploring several options that might be available to you. Here are three ways you could increase your monthly check.

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1. Keep working or go back to work in your 60s

When the Social Security Administration goes to calculate your monthly benefit, it looks at your entire earnings history. Earnings from earlier in your career get adjusted for inflation, but those inflation adjustments are tied to an index from the year you turn 60 years old. They won't keep increasing with inflation after that.

On the other hand, many workers see their wages increase at least in line with inflation in their 60s. That means there's a good chance working in your 60s will increase your average earnings for the purposes of calculating your Social Security benefit.

If you continue to work in your 60s while collecting Social Security, the Social Security Administration will recalculate your benefit at the start of each year after its received your earnings details from the prior year. It'll increase your benefit if your earnings from the previous year increased your average earnings from your career and true-up any payments it missed from early in the year.

There is one potential drawback to working in your 60s while collecting Social Security. Your benefits will be subject to the retirement earnings test if you've yet to reach full retirement age. If your earnings exceed a certain threshold, the Social Security Administration will withhold a portion of your benefits. For 2025, that limit is $23,400. For every $2 earned above that limit, it'll withhold $1 in annual benefits. (There's a higher limit, $62,160, if you're reaching full retirement age this year. It'll withhold $1 for every $3 earned above that limit.) The Social Security Administration will adjust your benefit at full retirement age to make up for the withheld benefits from your early 60s.

2. Hit the undo button

Social Security includes a couple of ways you can make up for claiming your benefits earlier than needed in retirement. That will allow you to delay benefits, ultimately resulting in a bigger Social Security check.

The first option is to withdraw your application. This option is available to anyone within 12 months of their initial application. When you withdraw your application, it'll be as if you never made the claiming decision in the first place. However, that also means you'll have to repay any benefits you already received from Social Security, including any Medicare premiums paid through your retirement benefits if applicable.

That might not be possible for many seniors either due to the time constraint or the need to pay back benefits. Thankfully, you may also have the option to suspend benefits, which doesn't require any repayment. You can suspend benefits anytime after reaching full retirement age up to age 70. Suspending benefits will temporarily stop your benefits check. Instead, you'll receive a credit for each month your benefits remain suspended equal to 2/3 of the amount you were previously receiving.

That might not sound like much, but someone with a full retirement age of 67 (anyone born in 1960 or later) could boost their benefit by 24% by going three years without a monthly check. The temporary pain could be worth it for many, especially if your retirement investments have performed well early in retirement. You'll likely end up with more to spend on the things you need or want in your 70s, 80s, and beyond.

3. Claim benefits based on your ex's earnings

If you're divorced and were married at least 10 years, you may be eligible to claim benefits based on your ex-spouse's earnings record.

If you're currently single, you could still claim spousal benefits, which are worth up to one half of your ex's primary insurance amount, or the amount they'd receive at full retirement age. The amount could be adjusted downward if you claimed benefits early. That said, it could still provide a boost to your benefit based on your own earnings record.

Importantly, the Social Security Administration will never inform your ex-spouse that you've made a claim based on their earnings record.

If your ex has passed away, you could be eligible for survivor benefits as long as you didn't remarry before age 60. Survivor benefits can be worth either the amount your ex-spouse collected prior to passing (plus any COLA increases) or their primary insurance amount if they hadn't claimed benefits yet. The age you claim your personal benefits won't impact your survivor benefits, giving you the option to let them reach maximum value at your full retirement age.

In order to claim these benefits, you need to inform the SSA that you were married and qualify for them; they aren't going to automatically connect you two. So, it may be worth making a call to see if you qualify for a bigger benefit.