Author: Maurie Backman, The Motley Fool

The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to suffer a long-term financial hit in its aftermath.

If you’re one of them, consider this an important wake-up call.

Want to know what goes into your benefits? Here’s your answer.

Hint: It may not be as generous as you’d like it to be.

Sometimes, it pays to file as soon as you can.