When you claim Social Security could have a huge impact on your finances in retirement. Understanding the factors that impact your Social Security benefit is essential to making a smart decision. The Social Security Administration provides a useful tool you should check before claiming benefits.

Social Security is a far more complex program than people traditionally think. There is so much more involved in administering the United States’ largest budget expense than just writing checks to tens of millions of retired Americans who have already contributed to the system through their taxes.

Across-the-board cuts at the Social Security Administration are prompting questions about how the benefits of millions of recipients may be affected.

Across-the-board cuts at the Social Security Administration are prompting questions about the possible effects on benefits for tens of millions of recipients.