Author: Selena Maranjian, The Motley Fool

There’s no need for you to do all the work yourself when you can put some of your dollars to work for you.

It’s smart to consider annuities for your retirement, as they can deliver pension-like guaranteed income for a certain number of years or even the rest of your life.

One simple chart shows how much you can increase or shrink your Social Security checks, simply via timing.

Reading up on Social Security may not sound enticing, but the more you know, the savvier decisions you’ll make, and that can lead to increased Social Security benefits and many thousands of dollars more in retirement.