Understanding the details of Social Security is critical for both current retirees and for those who are going to retire in the future and who plan on these retirement benefits being an important income source.

Here’s what to know about taking Social Security and the trade-offs between claiming your benefit before, during or after your full retirement age. When should you start collect

For as long as it's been an option, Social Security's earliest claiming age -- 62 -- has been one of its most popular. But that's changing.