Social Security provides guaranteed income to workers and spouses throughout retirement. Consequently, benefits tend to become increasingly important over time as other sources of savings, like 401(k) plans and IRAs,

Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons explains that it can be difficult to determine eligibility for various Social Security benefits, to calculate the number of benefits available, and to figure out what steps will maximize your benefits.

A Reddit user was surprised by the way the Social Security Administration processed his wife’s benefits claim. He explained that she applied for spousal benefits, but ended up getting her own smaller benefit instead.