When Warren Buffett officially retired on December 31, 2025, it marked the end of one of the most successful careers in modern finance.

Over roughly six decades of diligent and savvy investing, the Oracle of Omaha built a fortune worth $150 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index (1) — making him one of only 17 people in the world with a net worth over $100 billion

But he has something in common with 75 million Americans: He qualifies for Social Security (2).

You might assume his monthly Social Security checks would be enormous, but, in reality, they wouldn’t be far off what a retired middle manager or schoolteacher receives.

Here’s why.

Social Security benefits are based on lifetime earnings, but the system isn’t designed for those with extraordinary incomes.

At its core, it’s a support system funded by and for the benefit of ordinary workers.

This is why it includes an annual income cap for contributions. This year, that cap is $184,500. You can’t make Social Security contributions on any earnings above that (3).

Unsurprisingly, this cap is controversial.

Many experts have suggested that it is one of many reasons why the Social Security trust fund faces a shortfall and potential depletion by 2032 (4).

Still, it has been in effect for much of Buffett’s career, which means he may have been contributing the maximum he could every year.

That makes it easier to estimate his monthly entitlements.

Buffett famously paid himself a remarkably modest paycheck.

For roughly 40 years, the Oracle of Omaha paid himself just $100,000 in annual salary (5).

Although he earned additional compensation in director fees and security costs, his overall compensation remained far below the typical CEO’s salary of $18.9 million, according to the AFL-CIO (6).

Nonetheless, Buffett likely exceeded the annual Social Security wage cap most years.

The 95-year-old has also maxed out his delayed retirement credits, which tap out at age 70 (7).

So Buffett would qualify for the maximum payout from the SSA: $5,181 (8).

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To be fair, the centibillionaire is unlikely to even notice this $62,172 in annual passive income.

But it neatly illustrates where Social Security tops out and what long-term, high-earning workers can ultimately secure.

Getting the top payout is a long shot for most workers.

There’s simply too many variables, including your lifestyle, career trajectory and health, that ultimately determine how much you earn and when you retire.

But if you’re focused on getting the ‘high score’ in this game, there are a few ways to boost your odds.

First, work hard for as long as possible. The SSA considers the highest 35 years of earnings when calculating your benefit, so if your career is shorter than that it could impact your eventual payout.

Second, maximize your contributions by maximizing your income.

As mentioned earlier, the income cap for 2026 is 184,500. Not only is this a high target, it’s also a moving target.

The cap is adjusted roughly every year so you can expect a higher bar in 2027 and beyond.

Many high-income individuals who exceed this cap usually sustain their peak earnings for a few years.

It takes years of experience to start earning such a high salary, in most cases, and many experienced professionals can afford to retire early, which means their Social Security contributions haven’t been maximized for the full 35 years.

Finally, you may need to delay your retirement to earn delayed benefit credits.

For most people, these extra credits are in play between their full-retirement age (67) and 70.

Only about 10% of beneficiaries wait until the age of 70 to file their claim, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), which highlights just how rare it is to fully optimize your payout (9).

Simply put, it’s difficult but not impossible to max out your benefits to a level where you’re collecting nearly the same as Warren Buffett.

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Article sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

Bloomberg (1); Social Security Administration (2, 3, 7, 8); Peter G. Peterson Foundation (4); Business Insider (5); AFL-CIO (6); Bipartisan Policy Center (9)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.