3 ways you can lose your Social Security benefits

There are a few surprising ways you may be putting your Social Security retirement benefits at risk right now. C.J. Burton/Getty Images

The average monthly Social Security benefit for retired workers is just under $2,000 currently , and tens of millions of Americans rely on these hard-earned benefits for at least part of their retirement income. But while retirees should try and avoid being reliant on Social Security benefits alone — especially now that there are questions regarding the long-term sustainability of the program — the reality is that for many people, these monthly checks are the largest source of cash they'll have once they stop working.

As a result, it's important to try and protect your Social Security benefits from being lost or reduced. That isn't always as