Claiming Social Security: Making Informed Decisions That Shape Your Retirement

For most Americans, Social Security is one of the most important—and misunderstood—parts of retirement income. The decision of when to claim benefits can significantly affect how long your income lasts, how much you pay in taxes, and even what your surviving spouse receives. Yet many individuals approaching retirement feel uncertain, rushed, or uninformed about the process. At 100Retire.com, we help you approach Social Security strategically—using education, analysis, and the proven framework of the Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) program.

Led by Joel Marius, RICP®, a financial professional with over 25 years of experience, our goal is to help clients in their 50s and 60s make informed, confident decisions about when and how to file for benefits. Social Security is not a one-size-fits-all decision. The ideal filing strategy depends on multiple factors: income needs, longevity expectations, marital status, spousal or survivor benefits, and coordination with other income sources such as pensions, annuities, and retirement accounts.

Most people only make the Social Security claiming decision once—and it’s permanent. Claiming too early may result in reduced lifetime benefits, while delaying may create a higher income stream but require other assets to fill the gap in the meantime. The difference between claiming at 62, full retirement age, or 70 can mean thousands of dollars of annual income and even greater implications for your spouse’s survivor benefits.

In addition, Social Security interacts directly with your tax and Medicare strategy. Benefits can be taxable depending on your income level, and the timing of withdrawals from IRAs or 401(k)s can impact how much of your Social Security is taxed and whether you face IRMAA surcharges on Medicare premiums. This interconnectedness is why Social Security should never be planned in isolation—it must be part of a coordinated retirement income plan.

Joel Marius uses the RICP® approach to integrate Social Security into your overall retirement income strategy. By analyzing your income sources, expected expenses, and retirement timeline, he creates a customized financial plan that models several claiming scenarios—from the earliest eligible age to the latest possible deferral. Each scenario shows the long-term effects on your income, taxes, and estate outcomes, allowing you to make informed, data-driven decisions.

As part of this process, Joel reviews your Social Security statement to verify your earnings history, projected benefits, and potential errors. Many retirees overlook this critical step, which can lead to inaccurate benefit calculations later.

Joel guides clients through a structured, educational process that helps them understand how Social Security fits into their overall financial picture. This includes:

• Break-even analysis to compare claiming ages.
   
• Spousal and survivor benefit coordination for married couples.
   
• Tax impact projections to understand after-tax income.
   
• Integration with Medicare and RMDs to minimize costly overlaps.
   
• Longevity risk assessments to align benefits with life expectancy and income sustainability.

At 100Retire, we believe that choosing when to claim Social Security should be a strategic decision, not a guess. Through expert guidance, advanced modeling tools, and personalized education, Joel Marius, RICP®, helps you understand your options and make a claiming decision that aligns with your broader retirement income goals.

Before you file, get clarity. Review your Social Security statement, understand your options, and see how this critical choice fits within your complete retirement plan.