Social Security was never intended to be anyone's sole source of income in retirement. But for a handful of people, it can be a significant one. A few lucky retirees are cashing monthly checks of the maximum possible amount of $4,555.

How did they do it, and how can you do the same? Here's a rundown of the three key things they did differently than most. Even if you can't quite match their inputs, getting as close as you can to them will make your eventual Social Security checks close to theirs as well.

There's no getting around this one -- if you want take home $4,555 per month once you claim benefits, you absolutely must work at least 35 years. That's because the Social Security Administration's calculation of your retirement payments is based on your 35 highest-earning years, based on your reported taxable income. Even if you were well paid for 34 years, you won't be able to max out your Social Security benefit.

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Source Fool.com