For most Americans, Social Security is their largest financial asset, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and indexed against increases in the cost of living. It is also an incredibly complicated program, with 2,728 core rules and thousands of codicils. As a result, Americans lose billions of dollars a year in unclaimed benefits. This is money that we have earned and are entitled to, that is lost forever. The editor has sifted through many thousands of pages of SSA publications to find the answers that will help you understand and maximize your benefits.

PLEASE NOTE: This book is not published, authorized or endorsed by the Social Security Administration. The answers are "official" because they come directly from the SSA website and publications.