Social Security Tips and Tricks for All: Divorcees, Widows, Older Workers, Teachers, More

As you approach retirement, figuring out when and how to claim Social Security benefits looms as one of the most important tasks on your to-do list. Choosing the right time and best strategy could significantly boost your income--and the stakes are particularly high for couples. Judging by the amount of mail we get on this topic, many retirees and pre-retirees are grappling with the complexity of their choices. Here we've answered several common reader questions. The best decisions for you depend on your own circumstances, but knowing the basics will help you choose the right options.

I'm deciding at what age I'll claim Social Security benefits. How does my life expectancy factor in?

First, the basics: You can start getting benefits as early as age 62, but you'll receive up to 30% less in each check than if you wait until your full retirement age, which is 66 for those born from 1943 to 1954 and gradually rises to 67 for those born in 1960 or later. For each year after your full retirement age that you wait to start benefits until the maximum age of 70, you'll get an 8% boost in delayed-retirement credits.

Social Security actuaries aim to set payouts so that if you die at the time your life expectancy projects, you'll receive about the same total amount of benefits no matter when you start claiming them. If you are single and have never been married, spousal and survivor benefits aren't a concern, so your