Claim at the right age,
not the earliest one.
For most households, Social Security is the single biggest retirement decision they'll make, worth more than the house. Claiming at 62 because you can is rarely the answer. We model every claiming age across both spouses, layer in survivor benefits, and coordinate the decision with your tax and withdrawal plan. So you keep what you've earned.
The four levers we pull most.
Claiming-age modeling
We project your benefit at every age from 62 to 70 and run the same projection for your spouse. The right number isn't a rule of thumb.
Spousal and survivor strategies
Couples have more levers than singles. We model spousal benefits, survivor benefits, and the order in which each spouse files.
Tax coordination
Up to 85% of your benefit can be taxed. We coordinate claiming with Roth conversions, IRA withdrawals, and IRMAA thresholds.
Earnings record cleanup
We pull your record from ssa.gov and check for missing years, employer reporting errors, and the assumptions baked into the SSA estimate.
Three reasons it's worth getting right.
It's the largest single decision in retirement.
For most households, lifetime Social Security benefits add up to more than the value of the home. Claiming early can leave six figures on the table.
The default is rarely the right answer.
Most people claim at 62 because they can. For married couples where one spouse earned more, that almost always shortchanges the surviving spouse.
It interacts with everything else.
Claiming age changes how much you draw from IRAs in your 60s, how much room you have for Roth conversions, and what your tax bill looks like for thirty years.
One conversation at a time.
- № 01
Pull the record.
We start by pulling your earnings record from ssa.gov, checking the projections, and getting both spouses' numbers on the same page.
- № 02
Model the scenarios.
We compare claiming at 62, full retirement age, 70, and every age in between. Same for your spouse. Same for survivor benefit downstream.
- № 03
Coordinate with the rest of the plan.
Claiming later usually means pulling more from tax-deferred accounts earlier, which can open the door to Roth conversions and lower lifetime taxes. We model all of it together.
- № 04
Revisit before you file.
Health changes. Tax law changes. Earnings records get updated. We confirm the strategy in the months before you actually file.
Plain answers, before you call.
When should I claim Social Security?
It depends on your benefit, your spouse's benefit, your health, and your other retirement income. For most married couples where one spouse earned significantly more, the higher earner waiting until 70 maximizes lifetime household benefits, including the survivor benefit. For single people in good health, waiting past full retirement age usually wins. We model the actual numbers for your household.
What's the difference between filing at 62, full retirement age, and 70?
Claiming at 62 locks in a reduced benefit, roughly 25 to 30% less than full retirement age. Claiming at full retirement age (66 or 67 depending on your birth year) gets you your full benefit. Waiting until 70 adds 8% per year in delayed retirement credits, on top of cost-of-living adjustments.
How does Social Security get taxed?
Up to 85% of your benefit can be taxed depending on your provisional income. The thresholds are low, so retirees with even modest IRA withdrawals or pension income usually hit them. We coordinate withdrawal timing and Roth conversions to manage the provisional-income calculation.
What if I'm divorced or widowed?
Divorced spouses can claim on an ex-spouse's record if the marriage lasted 10 years and they haven't remarried. Widows and widowers can claim a survivor benefit as early as 60. The rules are specific and we walk through what applies.
Can I undo a claiming decision?
You can withdraw a claim within 12 months and start over, but you have to pay back everything you received. There's also a one-time suspension at full retirement age. These options exist but they're rarely the best path. The better answer is to claim correctly the first time.
Our family has been helping Northern Suburbs households think through Social Security since 1977, from Evanston to Highland Park. Three generations of family practice. One conversation at a time.
Common questions about Social Security.
Schedule a Social Security conversation.
One free conversation. We'll model your claiming options and show you the strategy that gets you the most after taxes over a realistic life expectancy.