Social security is the backbone of many Americans’ retirement budgets. The state program accounts for at least 50% of household income for about half of people age 65 and older, according to data reviewed by the Social Security Administration. So getting a bigger Social Security check can have a huge impact on the quality of your life in retirement.

The key to getting a bigger check is a good understanding of how the rules work. Unfortunately, the complexity of Social Security is too much for many Americans, and many have false beliefs about how the system works. But if you know these five secrets, you could end up with a bigger Social Security check when all is said and done.

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1. Work at least 35 years

The easiest way to increase your Social Security benefit is to make sure you work at least 35 years. Your monthly benefit is based on your average monthly income (adjusted for wage inflation) over 35 years. If you work fewer than 35 years, the Social Security Administration fills in the missing years with $0 earned. Replacing that $0 with income from a job or even just a few thousand dollars from a side hustle can result in a nice bump in your benefits for the rest of your life.

One thing to be aware of if you are already collecting benefits is Social security income test. The merit test applies to everyone who has not yet reached it full retirement age. If you earn above a certain threshold, the Social Security Administration will withhold a portion of your current benefits. In other words, you will see your monthly check decrease. But don’t worry. The SSA will adjust your benefit higher when you reach full retirement age to make up for the amount withheld.

2. Work well into your 60s

The Social Security Administration adjusts your wages starting in your 20s and 30s to increase the standard of living each year. But those adjustments stop when you turn 60.

Most people who continue their careers into their 60s earn more than they did in their 20s and 30s, even after adjusting for inflation. But even if your inflation-adjusted earnings haven’t increased, continuing to work into your 60s will eventually replace those early earning years when the SSA calculates your 35 highest-earning years. As a result, you get a bigger benefit check.

3. Turn off your benefits

If you have passed full retirement age but are less than 70 years old, you have the option of suspending your benefits. When you stop your benefits, you start getting delayed retirement credits. These will add 2/3 of a percentage point to your check for each month you keep your benefits suspended. Benefits automatically resume at age 70. You can increase your benefit up to 26.7% depending on when you were born.

This can be a good option for someone who applied for benefits early in retirement, but has gone back to work or has seen their investments perform well. If you don’t have an immediate need for extra income, it may make sense to suspend benefits today in exchange for a larger Social Security check later.

4. Pay attention to taxes

The IRS uses a measure called combined income to determine what portion (if any) of your Social Security income is taxable. Your total income is equal to half of your Social Security benefits plus your adjusted gross income plus any non-taxable interest income. If your total income exceeds certain thresholds, a percentage of the amount above it becomes taxable. Here are the thresholds.

Data source: Social Security Administration.

If you can keep your total income below the major thresholds, you can keep more of your Social Security check.

5. Be smart about survivor benefits

Survivor benefits can be claimed as early as age 60, but applying as soon as possible may not be the smartest decision.

Widows and widowers have the advantageous option of being able to withdraw their survivor benefit and personal benefit at different times. Spouses with cohabitants must apply for both personal and spousal benefits at the same time. The ability to apply at different times means that you should apply for one of these benefits as soon as possible and the other as late as necessary to get the maximum.

For example, if your full survivor benefit is $1,500 per month and your full personal benefit is $1,000 per month, it likely makes sense to wait until 62 to claim your personal benefit and switch to your survivor benefit when it maxes out at 67. The opposite can also be true, resulting in you claiming the survivor’s benefit at 60 and waiting until 70 to switch to your personal benefit.

If you manage your Social Security options correctly, you can walk away with significantly higher lifetime benefits.