When it comes to claiming Social Security retirement benefits, no one should take the decision of when or how to claim lightly.

And that goes especially for women, who are more likely to suffer financially if they make the wrong choice.

Social Security's rules for retirement benefits were first set in the 1930s. And they have haven't necessarily caught up with today's families.

That puts one party in particular at a disadvantage: the modern woman, according research from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. A 2018 survey by Nationwide found that 62 percent of women expect Social Security benefits to be their primary source of income in retirement.

How much Social Security retirement benefits you receive is largely based on your work record. The Social Security Administration averages your highest 35 years of earnings.

There are two other important ways of claiming benefits based on your marital status: spousal benefits and survivor benefits. And those strategies are still more commonly used by women, according to Andrew Eschtruth, communications director at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College and co-author of the research.

But marital patterns have changed. Shorter marriages — those that lasted less than 10 years — mean that spousal or survivor benefits are often off the table.