The data shows a pretty clear pattern that could help you decide when you want to sign up.

You know you'll need Social Security in retirement, but estimating how much you'll get isn't always easy. This can make it tough to work out how much you'll need to save on your own to cover your remaining costs.

Fortunately, you can leverage some factors within the Social Security benefit formula to maximize your monthly checks. One of the biggest is your claiming age. To get an idea of how this works, let's look at the average monthly benefits for 62-, 65-, and 70-year-olds.

How your claiming age affects your Social Security benefits

You can claim Social Security as soon as you turn 62, but if you want the full benefit you qualify for based on your work history, you have to wait until your

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