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 ...

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 ...

Many foreigners, including former U.S. citizens, lose Social Security when living abroad because of their citizenship. Benefits can stop after six months overseas.

Your age at sign up will dictate the size of your Social Security benefit. Spouses can coordinate their claiming strategies to maximize their household benefits. Having the necessary documents at hand ...

When you sign up determines the size of the check you qualify for, along with your income history from your working years. You can apply as early as age 62, but that's considered claiming early, and ...