MAXIMIZE LIFETIME BENEFITS
The first Social Security payout is the base line for what you will receive every month thereafter. Each October, the Social Security Administration calculates a cost of living adjustment, based on changes in the federal consumer price index, and increases your monthly benefit accordingly for the following year. In 2017, the adjustment amounted to 0.3 percent. When you delay Social Security payments beyond the minimum retirement age of 62, the cost of living adjustments you “missed” are factored into the benefit you ultimately receive.