Topic
Social Security
When to claim, what it pays, and what happens to it.
The claiming decision is worth more than almost any investment choice you will make in retirement, and it is close to irreversible. These cover the timing, the survivor question, what a pension does to it, and what happens if Congress does nothing.
- August 12, 2026The Break-Even Calculator Answers the Wrong Social Security QuestionWhy break-even math fails for Social Security at 62 vs 67 vs 70, and three retiree cases that show which claim age actually fits your life.
- August 18, 2026If You Retire at 55, Social Security Changes in Three WaysHow retiring at 55 shrinks your Social Security check, what claiming at 62 vs 70 really costs, and how to fund the years in between.
- July 29, 2026How to Cover Your Bills If You Retire Before Social SecurityThe years between retiring and claiming Social Security are the risky ones. How an income floor covers your bills, the ACA cliff, and Roth conversions.
- August 26, 2026If You Have a Pension, Most Retirement Advice Doesn't Apply to YouHow a pension changes your Social Security timing, lump sum choice, survivor election, inflation risk, and stock allocation.
- July 31, 2026Five Social Security Mistakes to Avoid That Have Nothing to Do With Claim AgeFive Social Security mistakes that have nothing to do with claim age, from earnings-record errors and the earnings test to the ex-spouse benefit.
- July 13, 2026The Social Security Cut Now Lands in 2032 Unless Congress ActsThe 2026 Trustees Report moved the automatic 22% Social Security cut to 2032. What it does to your check and how to plan for it.