The first round of October’s Social Security payments, worth up to $4,873 for the highest-income earners who retire at age 70, will go out to the first group of retirees in nine days. When a person receives his or her check depends on the date he or she was born.

Social Security serves as a critical source of income for millions of retired seniors. And for those who rely on those benefits heavily to pay the bills, annual raises often spell the difference between being able to make ends meet and struggling financially.