You get to decide when you're ready to claim Social Security, but you still have to play by the government's rules. For starters, you can't sign up for retirement benefits until you're at least 62. And your age at claiming will have a big effect on how much money you receive from the program.

It's important to understand how your starting age will affect you down the line, especially if you're thinking about signing up for the program right away. Here's what you need to know.

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Source Fool.com