How to Beat the Average $1,553 Social Security Check
The average retiree can expect to get about $1,553 per month, or $18,636 per year, from Social Security. It's no small sum, but it's also not enough to cover most retirees' expenses.
Most people will need some personal savings to cover the difference. If you want to stretch those dollars further, take the following steps to maximize your Social Security benefits.
The government looks at your 35 highest-earning years, adjusted for inflation -- also known as your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) -- to determine your Social Security benefit. One of the easiest ways to boost your checks is to make sure you work at least 35 years. This ensures no zero-income years will tank your benefit.
Source Fool.com
