Answers to 100 Frequently Asked Questions about Social Security Retirement Benefits

Please Note: Although the “Answers” in this book are drawn from the SSA website and publications, this book is not published, authorized, or endorsed by the Social Security Administration.



For most Americans, Social Security is their largest financial asset, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and indexed against inflation.



It is also an incredibly complicated program, with thousands of rules and regulations. Failure to understand these rules and regulations costs Americans billions of dollar every year in lost benefits.



The editor of this book has sifted through thousands of pages of SSA publications to select the answers to the most important questions about retirement benefits, and presents them here in a useful and coherent manner.



Updated for 2020, the Third Edition of this book includes recent changes in rules and regulations; the latest COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustment); maximum taxable earnings; earnings limit; amount needed to earn a “credit”; and average and maximum benefits payable.