It's the biggest financial question most retirees will ever face. When should I take Social Security? The answer you get from friends, family, and online articles is almost always, "Wait as long as you can!" That's because your benefit grows by about 8% for every year you delay past your Full Retirement Age (FRA), all the way until age 70. This is good advice. But it's not the only advice. "Wait until 70" is the right answer... unless it isn't. The decision is deeply personal and depends on your answers to three questions.

How often do you set new financial goals? How often do you achieve them? Most of us aren’t very successful with our goals, even when we have the best intentions and strong willpower.1 Sometimes, that’s because we’re setting unattainable goals. Other times, we’re missing the big picture and setting our goals with blinders on.

For senior managers and C-suite executives, your salary is just one small piece of your total compensation. The bulk of your wealth is built through a complex package of equity, deferred comp, and other benefits. If you treat these benefits as an afterthought, you are leaving an enormous amount of money on the table. Optimizing your executive compensation is not just "HR paperwork." It is a high-level financial strategy that requires the same foresight you apply to your business. Here is where to focus.