Understanding when and how to claim Social Security can have a major impact on your long-term retirement income. Our team of advisors guides you through the entire decision-making process—evaluating your benefits, analyzing your claiming options, coordinating with your spouse’s benefits, and aligning everything with your broader retirement plan. We simplify the rules, run the numbers for you, and help you make a confident, well-informed choice that supports your lifetime financial goals.

1. Your claiming age matters

• Claim as early as 62 and your benefit is reduced.

• Wait until Full Retirement Age (generally 66–67) for your full benefit.

• Delay to age 70 to earn delayed retirement credits and increase your monthly benefit.

2. Benefits may be taxable

• Depending on your income, up to 85% of your Social Security benefit may be subject to federal income tax.

• Proper tax planning can help reduce the impact.

3. Spousal and survivor benefits can be powerful

• A spouse may receive up to 50% of your benefit at their Full Retirement Age.

• Widows and widowers may receive survivor benefits—often the higher of the two spouses’ benefits.

4. Working while collecting can affect payments

• If you claim before Full Retirement Age and continue to work, your benefit may be temporarily reduced based on your earnings.

• After FRA, you can work and earn freely without reductions.

5. Social Security is designed to last your lifetime

• Benefits are adjusted each year through cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) to help keep pace with inflation.

6. Coordination with your full retirement plan is crucial

• Social Security should be considered alongside pensions, investments, healthcare, and tax strategy to optimize lifetime income.

• Claiming in isolation (without a full plan) often leaves money on the table.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor.