It was never meant to be the entirety of anyone's retirement income. Still, a handful of people are collecting surprisingly sizable Social Security benefits. This year's maximum monthly payment stands at a solid $5,108, versus a much more modest average of $1,976 per month.

You should also know that if you're a higher earner, you may be subject to a Medicare surcharge known as an income-related monthly adjustment amount. If so, you could see a large chunk of your Social Security check get whittled down each month.