Saving & Spending

7 Accounts to Make Your Social Security Income go Further

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Last updated Jan. 7, 2026 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

Do you receive direct deposit payments from Social Security? If you do — and you aren't using one of these accounts — you could be missing out on $100s or even $1,000s of basically free money every year.

Some of the accounts below offer various methods of growing your wealth if you receive Social Security via direct deposit, and some of them even offer large cash bonuses and other benefits — like up to $400 cash bonuses and APYs up to 5.00% or higher!

Check out the options below and stop missing out on basically free money!

Set up direct deposit - pocket up to $500

If you aren't banking with Bank of America, you could be missing out on a huge boost of extra cash just by following a few simple steps.

Earn a bonus of up to $500 when you open a Bank of America Advantage Banking account through this page by January 31, 2026, and set up and receive Qualifying Direct Deposits into your new account within 90 days of account opening. Your bonus amount will be based on the total amount of your qualifying direct deposits received in the first 90 days.

This is practically passive income and a great way to supercharge your earnings. It basically takes no extra work at all other than following the steps above.

Open your account and earn up to a $500 bonus

Take this quiz and see if you can retire early

Do you know if you can retire early? One of the best ways to find out is by speaking with a financial advisor. You could potentially retire years earlier with the right moves and a little work.

Our advice:Take this quiz from Unbiased. In just a few short questions, it can match you with a vetted financial advisor in your area. Once you get matched, you get a free consultation with your advisor to discuss your situation and future goals.

Join over 10 million people who have found a great fit in an advisor with Unbiased.

Take the quiz

If you’re over 50, take advantage of massive discounts and financial resources

Over 50? Join AARP today — because if you’re not a member you could be missing out on huge perks. When you start your membership today, you can get discounts on things like travel, meal deliveries, eyeglasses, prescriptions that aren’t covered by insurance and more.

How to become a member today:

  • Go here, select your free gift, and click “Join Today” 
  • Create your account (important!) by answering a few simple questions 
  • Start enjoying your discounts and perks!

You’ll also get insider info on social security, job listings, caregiving, and retirement planning. And you’ll get access to AARP’s Fraud Watch Network to help you protect your money, as well as tools to help you plan for retirement.

Important: Start your membership by creating an account here and filling in all of the information (Do not skip this step!) Doing so will allow you to take up 25% off your AARP membership, making it just $15 the first year with auto-renewal.

Become an AARP member now

Turn your savings into passive income

Public is a powerful investing app that lets you earn 5.30% yield1 on your cash with treasury bill investments, which can help you avoid the volatility of the stock market.

Treasury Bills power your money by unlocking rates most banks can’t provide … offering you a rare 5.30% yield on your cash.

To get started, download the app and create your account.

When you deposit your money into a Public account, you’ll get access to purchasing U.S. government debt obligations that are backed by the Treasury Department, which historically have low risk and stable returns. There are no state or local taxes to pay, and you can sell your Treasury Bills at any time. There is no minimum to open your account, and you can purchase Treasury bills in increments of $100.

Public offers a user-friendly and accessible platform that makes it easy to start investing in Treasury Bills, which can help you earn more on your cash and reach your financial goals.

Start earning on your cash today with Public