There are many factors that average American workers weigh when making significant decisions about retirement.One of the first things people seek information about as they approach the possible end of their careers involves figuring out what age is best for them to take the bold step.

Social Security has been in the news a lot given the program's financial shakiness and the potential for benefit cuts. And whenever there's an election, Social Security tends to be a big issue for politicians to discuss.

As 2024 draws to a close, we look at the changes Social Security beneficiaries and Medicare members will face in the new year and how to navigate them.

Back to Medicare now. Retirees commonly have their Medicare Part B premiums automatically taken from their Social Security benefits. For 2024, that monthly sum is $174.70. The 2025 sum isn't known at the time of this writing, but it's projected by some to rise to $185 for 2025.