ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Roger Whitney closes out his five-week Social Security series with a practical framework for married couples deciding when to claim. He explains how to coordinate benefits, avoid common mistakes, and make a decision that fits the household rather than relying on a single calculator or searching for a perfect answer.
OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN PODCAST
- (00:00) Roger Whitney closes out his five-week Social Security series with a guide to building a claiming strategy for married couples. He shares a practical framework for coordinating benefits, avoiding common mistakes, and making a decision that fits the household.
PRACTICAL PLANNING
- (06:54) Roger shares a framework for coordinating benefits, weighing household priorities, and testing claiming strategies against a retirement plan of record.
LISTENER QUESTIONS
- (36:55) Dominic: Do cost-of-living adjustments apply before claiming?
- (39:17) Joe: Should he wait until age 70 to claim while his wife claims at 62?
- (41:31) Jason: Should the opportunity cost of delaying be compared with the potential return of an aggressive investment portfolio?
- (45:05) Ann: What if both spouses have similar, moderate-to-high benefits?
- (46:20) Stacy: Is it reasonable for a lower-earning husband to claim at 62 while his higher-earning wife waits until 70?
SMART SPRINT
- (49:08) Put time for your Social Security decision on the calendar.
ON THE BOOKSHELF
- (50:38) Roger and Nichole share books they’re reading, and Roger previews next week’s conversation with Peter Lazaroff about The Perfect Portfolio.
REFERENCES
- Social Security Administration
- Live Year-End Planning Session
- Sign up for the Noodle!
- Rock Retirement with Roger Whitney — YouTube channel
- Submit a Question for Roger
ON THE BOOKSHELF
English
United States
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