For most Americans, Social Security provides a financial foundation during their golden years. More than two decades of annual surveys from national pollster Gallup have shown that as many as 90% of then-current retirees lean on their monthly Social Security benefit to cover at least a portion of their expenses.

The same holds true for future generations of retired workers. Gallup's annual polls found that between 76% and 88% of non-retirees anticipate relying on their Social Security income to make ends meet once they hang up their proverbial work coats for good.

What Gallup's annual surveys pretty clearly show is that getting the most out of Social Security is imperative to the financial well-being of future beneficiaries. But in order to optimize what you'll receive from America's top retirement program, you'll first need to understand the ins and outs of how your Social Security benefit is calculated, as well as how your claiming age can meaningfully affect your monthly payout.

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Source Fool.com