For those approaching retirement, there are several steps to take before applying for Social Security benefits. Pre-retirees should be familiar with the benefit options available to them and understand the application process. Additionally, there are ...

Choose your claiming age carefully and understand how this affects the size of your benefit. It's best to apply several months in advance of when you hope to claim. Gather your documents ahead of time so missing information doesn't derail your application.

You may think you've done all you can to maximize your Social Security benefits. You worked hard for decades. You increased your income over your career. Now you're staring at the application screen and wondering if it's finally time to start receiving ...

Social Security recipients will notice procedural changes beginning in October 2025, as the federal government transitions fully to digital payment methods. According to USA Today, the shift eliminates the use of paper checks,

Want bigger Social Security checks? Discover smart ways to delay benefits -- even if you're short on cash -- using savings, side gigs, assistance and more.

If paying back your benefits isn't an option, you could also suspend Social Security. Once you reach your full retirement age, you can temporarily stop collecting checks up to age 70. When you begin claiming again, you'll receive a higher monthly payment for the rest of your life to account for the money that was withheld.

Ninety-three percent of Americans consider Social Security an important federal program and the majority of Americans want Congress to act on shoring it up.