If you're reading this, then you're likely already aware that the biggest-possible monthly check retirees are receiving from Social Security this year is a respectable $4,555. But how many people are actually collecting payments of this size? Not many, actually. In fact, the average Social Security retirement payment is much more modest at around $1,700 per month.

And these numbers raise a couple of interesting questions. First, although the average monthly check is on the order of $1,700, how many people are getting significantly more or significantly less? Second, what does it take to max out your eventual Social Security retirement check anyway?

Averages are useful information when you're looking to get a grip on the bigger picture. Mathematical averages, though, don't necessarily tell all the critical, detailed parts of the story. The statistical distribution of all the data points that make up the average can tell you something else that's just as important.

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Source Fool.com