Learn More » Here's the average Social Security check in every state The average Social Security check varies by state, from about $1,816 per month in Mississippi to $2,405 per month in New Hampshire.

Once you claim your Social Security retirement benefits, you'll be receiving them every month, and they will remain fixed, except for nearly annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). Those increases can help retirees keep up with inflation,

You can also request that the IRS withhold money for taxes from your Social Security checks up front. This would save you the trouble of having to do the math to figure out how much you might owe. If it withholds too much from your checks, you'd get the extra back as a refund when you file your tax return.

If you've learned anything about Social Security, you probably have some big questions -- such as, is it running out of money? First, understand that each of us has a full retirement age at which we can start collecting the full benefits to which we're entitled based on our earnings.

As you approach retirement, you must make many important decisions, including where you'd like to retire, your savings withdrawal strategy, and when to claim Social Security. One of those latter decisions is when to claim Social Security.

About 94,000 Louisiana government retirees immediately will begin receiving their full Social Security benefits from any private employment that had been docked for years because they also received public service pensions.