Social Security plays a big role in your retirement planning -- but you shouldn't bank on it. Here's what to do instead.

If you’re like most seniors, you’ll rely on  Social Security to provide a good portion of your income once you retire. But, it can be hard to figure out exactly what role Social Security will play in supporting you if you don’t know how much money you’ll get from the benefits program.

Many government programs are facing significant funding cuts as Republicans look to extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

To see all of your Social Security benefits, you need to sign up for a My Social Security account. Note that if you've already signed up for a login.gov or ID.me account, you can skip the following steps and just sign into your account. If you've never signed up for either of these services before, here's what you need to do.

Social Security is an essential piece to most American's retirement plans. Without their monthly benefits, some 16.3 million seniors U.S, would be living below the poverty line, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Navigating the complexities of Social Security can be daunting, especially if you haven't accumulated the required 40 work credits.