Social Security serves as a critical source of income for millions of retirees today. And chances are, you'll want to get the most out of the program once you're eligible to sign up for benefits. But if you end up falling victim to these three fairly common mistakes, you might kick yourself big time after the fact.

The monthly Social Security benefit you're entitled to in retirement will hinge on how much income you earned during your 35 highest-paid years in the labor force. But that benefit won't be yours until you reach full retirement age, or FRA.

Image source: Getty Images.

Continue reading

Source Fool.com