Even if you are far away from retirement, it's never too early to start thinking about Social Security. That's because when determining your benefits, which could serve as a key source of supplemental income when you retire, the Social Security Administration (SSA) looks at your career holistically, and there's a lot that can impact your ability to earn the maximum monthly $4,555 Social Security check. If you want to earn as much in Social Security benefits as possible, here are three things to do that will help.

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The amount of benefits that Social Security retirees receive at their full retirement age (FRA) is called the primary insurance amount (PIA). The FRA is 67 for those born in 1960 or after. To calculate the PIA, the SSA uses your earnings for the highest 35 years of your career, so you must work for 35 years if you are going to qualify for the maximum check. If you work fewer than 35 years, the SSA will put in a zero for the years you don't work, which will significantly hurt your overall benefit amount.

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Source Fool.com