Everyone should be looking beyond Social Security to fund their retirement. Consistently contributing even just a modest amount of money to an IRA, for instance, can result in a surprisingly big nest egg later in life. Even the Social Security Administration says its program was never intended to be anyone's sole source of retirement income.

However, a handful of people are collecting surprisingly big Social Security checks of $4,873 every month. Not too shabby.

How'd they do it? And can you do it too? Maybe you can. Here's what it takes to take home the maximum monthly Social Security retirement benefit, once that time comes for you.

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Source Fool.com