An additional 276,000 people filed for Social Security benefits so far this fiscal year, up 13% from a year ago. Anxiety appears to be a driver.

The full retirement age for Social Security – the age in which you get 100% of the program's benefits – has risen over recent years.

Very few people will qualify for the maximum Social Security benefit. According to the Social Security Administration, only around 6% of people earn over the wage base limit in a given year. That leaves a ton of people who will never qualify for the maximum benefit.