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#1 Social Security credits are earned by working at a job where you pay Social Security taxes, or by earning money from self-employment. The amount of earnings needed to earn a credit is adjusted each year in keeping with wage inflation. A maximum of four credits can be earned in a year.

#2 You can earn up to four credits a year. Your full retirement age depends on the year you were born, and your primary insurance amount is the amount of retirement benefits you would receive per month if you started taking them at your full retirement age.

#3 Your primary insurance amount is the amount of retirement benefits you would receive per month if you started taking them at your full retirement age.

#4 If you're a total newbie to the world of investing, and you plan on retiring at age 62 in the year 2012, then you can expect your primary insurance amount to be: 90 percent of any AIME up to $767, plus 32 percent of any AIME between $767 and $4,624, plus 15 percent of any AIME above $4,624. 8.