Quick, When Do You Claim Social Security? What Do You Get If Your Ex Dies?
Understanding a few basics can help you get the most out of your benefits.
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Income from Social Security is the most important, if not the only, guaranteed asset many Americans count on for retirement. But behind the program's seemingly simple promise—a certain amount of income for life—are some hellishly complex wrinkles that lead many people to get less than their maximum benefit in retirement.
The confusion starts with even most basic rules of Social Security. Just under 40 percent of people don't know that 62 is the earliest age at which they can claim benefits1443448624878, according to a survey of 45- to 64-year-olds by the Financial Planning Association and AARP.