There are some things in finance that, as long as you follow a few general rules of thumb, you’re going to be fine:

• Save about 10% of your wages in a variety of stocks and bonds

• Take 20 times your annual wage and buy that much term life insurance

• Withdraw about 4% from your retirement account each year.

There is certainly room for more nuance in these rules, but they get you close to success.

Social Security is a different animal. There are general rules, but the potential benefit over a couple’s lifetime is so significant, that it’s worth knowing some particulars. I’d like to lay a few of these out in this post.