I’ve written many columns explaining how Social Security benefits are figured. So, I’m not really going to do that today. Instead, I’m going to answer some emails from readers that get into some quirky features of the whole process. But first, to set the stage, here is a fairly routine question.
Q: I’m in my late 50s and am starting to think about Social Security. But I’m confused. I’ve always thought my retirement benefit would be based on my last 5 years of earnings. But a friend told me it’s actually the highest 3 years. And another friend, a guy already getting Social Security, said his benefit was based on his last 10 years of earnings. So, who is right?
