Life is a long game of making money, spending money, and saving money.

Even once you reach retirement age or get within that range, this formula still holds true. When it comes time to get Social Security benefits, it should come as no surprise that our income plays a role in how our benefits line up.

The SSA reminds us how income and benefits are connected. Not only does the amount of money you make during your career impact the amount you’ll see on your Social Security checks, but when you claim can impact the total as well. Your income can even impact where you’ll stand with Uncle Sam on Social Security taxes.

For more news that anyone thinking about retirement can benefit from, follow NORA on Facebook and Twitter today. And please don’t forget to sign our petition here if you support seniors getting fair yearly Social Security COLAs.