We're headed into December, and that means a new round of Social Security checks will soon be headed out. When you receive your check depends on how long you've been receiving benefits and what day of the month you were born.

If you want to get the biggest possible Social Security benefit, you have to wait until age 70, and personal finance experts do often recommend waiting until that age to claim. Several studies suggest that's the age when the average retiree will maximize their lifetime benefit from the program.

USA TODAY reached out to retirees across the country who are living mostly on Social Security, to ask how they were doing.

Choosing when to start receiving Social Security benefits can be a difficult decision to make. That is in part because there is not one "best age" for everyone, yet it's a decision that will affect the amount of money you receive each month for the rest of your life.