It’s difficult to overstate how important Social Security benefits are to retirees in the United States. Consider the following: Social Security benefits typically replace about 40% of pre-retirement income for average earners. The system provides inflation-adjusted benefits to over 70 million Americans. 50% of the senior population rely on Social Security for at least half of their income.

The investing world has become more accessible than ever in the past decade. The examples are many: the rise of new trading apps built for mobile use (Robinhood and others). Slices of stock available to purchase with as little as a few dollars. Transaction-free stock trades. Private investments available to purchase that previously were reserved for the ultra-wealthy.