You'll often hear that Social Security shouldn't be your only income source in retirement but rather, one of several. That's because those monthly benefits won't come close to replacing your preretirement earnings in full. And if you want the freedom to pursue hobbies, travel, and do other fun things as a retiree, you'll probably need access to more money than what Social Security will pay you.

But even though Social Security shouldn't constitute your only retirement income source, it could still end up being an important one. And that's why it's essential that you get as much money out of the program as you can. So consider these three reasons you could end up losing out on benefits -- and kicking yourself for it.

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Source Fool.com