The Unbelievably Frustrating Reason You Might Lose Some of Your Social Security Check
If you pay enough taxes into Social Security during your career, you'll be entitled to a monthly benefit once you retire. But there are a number of reasons why that benefit may be smaller than you'd expect.
If you don't work for 35 years, you may get stuck with a less generous benefit, since Social Security factors your 35 highest-paid years of earnings into its calculations. And if you file for Social Security before reaching full retirement age, your monthly benefits will be reduced.
Source Fool.com