Those who work long, high-paying careers can receive thousands of dollars above the average Social Security benefit.

Social Security calculates your monthly benefits using the 35 years when your earnings were the highest. You need to earn ...

Explore the Social Security benefit amounts you can receive at various retirement ages and whether the monthly amount or the lifetime amount matters more to you.

Claiming at 62 -- the earliest you can -- will reduce your monthly checks by up to 30%. Claiming that early could make sense if you have a short life expectancy or lack personal savings. The $23,760 ...

Dear Savvy Senior, How do Social Security spousal benefits work? My wife, who’s approaching age 62, has had a few small-paying jobs over the years, but spent most of her time as a homemaker. What is ...

The Social Security Statement has a new, streamlined look. Learn how to access your personalized retirement estimates and earnings record online instantly.

The age you file for benefits will directly affect the size of your monthly checks. Delaying claiming can maximize your benefit amount, but there's a sneaky downside to waiting. Sometimes, filing ...

Claiming at 62 -- the earliest you can -- will reduce your monthly checks by up to 30%. Claiming that early could make sense if you have a short life expectancy or lack personal savings. The numbers ...

The maximum possible Social Security benefit requires a long, highly-paid career. You can maximize your monthly payment by waiting until age 70 to claim. But it might not be worth waiting to retire ...