People who file at this earliest-possible age are seeing much smaller payments, but there's more to the story.

A: Don’t bother. As I explained at the beginning of this column, retroactive benefits can only be paid if you file after your ...

This one could really trip you up.

I suggest waiting in most cases, but that doesn't mean it’s always the best approach. Depending on your situation, risk tolerance and goals, your wife may want to file for Social Security now. However ...

Although millions of older Americans collect a retirement benefit from Social Security today, it's not a given that you'll end up being eligible for those monthly checks. If you have a pretty ...

Waiting until age 70 to file for Social Security retirement benefits is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk that you’ll run out of money in your later years. But in some instances, ...