Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
1
Solving the Social Security Puzzle
[INSERT FIRM LOGO] Solving the Social Security Puzzle What you need to know before you claim Nan P Bailey, MBA, CFP®, AIF® NPB Wealth Management 1875 Palmer Ave, Ste 206 Larchmont, NY
2
Disclaimer The views presented today are provided by Social Security Solutions, Inc. The information was taken from sources believed to be reliable but cannot be guaranteed. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Social Security Administration. The information presented today does not constitute financial, legal or tax advice and should be used for informational purposes only. Since individual circumstances vary, you should consult your legal, tax, or financial advisors for specific information. Neither NPB Wealth Management nor Social Security Solutions, Inc. is affiliated in any way with the Social Security Administration. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
3
Social Security is not simple
Full Retirement Age Primary Insurance Amount Delayed Retirement Credits File and Suspend Restricted Application Earnings Test and Taxes Marital Status Social Security is definitely NOT simple! There are literally thousands of pages of rules that you must sort through in order to understand all of the factors that impact your benefits. I’ve put on this slide a few of the factors you need to consider as you move forward. We’re going to talk through some of them today so that you can leave with a good understanding of some of them. But the reality is that getting the Social Security decision RIGHT requires planning, forethought, analysis, and expertise. And as this slide implies, each rule is connected to another, then perhaps another…and they all matter in combination. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
4
A strategy for Social Security?
There are many options a married couple can use in claiming Social Security retirement benefits. Making the best choices for your circumstances can make a significant difference in the amount of cumulative lifetime benefits you receive. While you may be able to learn about Social Security and make a good decision, our firm can help you make the best decision for your situation. I’m not sure many folks associate Social Security with a “strategy.” We talk about strategy in terms of games like chess, or for sports like football. Social Security is no different. Just like winning a chess or football games involves careful planning, so should your Social Security claiming plan. As this slide says, there are literally hundreds of claiming combinations, but the one that’s best for your situation will analyze all of the household factors that play a part in your benefits. Getting it right is critical: you are locked into your choices with little opportunity to change your mind, and you could be leaving a LOT of money on the table. Our presentation today is designed to give you the basics you need to know and consider as you plan. But there is no way we can give you the answers here. This is complicated and you need advice. The Social Security Administration agents are prohibited by policy from giving you advice. They can answer some of your questions – and by the way, you will often receive inaccurate information from them, but they can never give you advice. That’s where our firm can help, and we’ll tell you a little later about what we can do for you. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
5
Common questions Will Social Security be there for me when I’m ready to claim? Will Social Security be enough to live on in retirement? How much will I receive? How can I maximize my benefits? These are the most common questions our firm hears about Social Security benefits. [Read the list and add commentary.] WE will answer these questions this evening, and some of the answers may surprise you. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
6
Will social Security Be there for me?
In short, YES! Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
7
Will social security be there?
Social Security has been running surpluses for the past 25 years. It is likely to continue to run surpluses until 2021. Reserves are expected to grow to $3.1 trillion by the end of Then reserves will gradually be drawn down to pay benefits. By 2033, reserves are expected to be depleted. After 2036, funds (FICA and taxes on benefits) will cover 75% of scheduled benefits if nothing is done. The past two changes to SS benefits provided for a 7 and 17 year advanced warning respectively. History indicates that benefits for those at least age 60 and older will not be altered. Source: National Academy of Social Insurance, SSA, Congressional Budget Office, 2012 The media has created a great deal of hype about Social Security. Sadly, the political charge attached to Social Security carries with it the ability to instill fear in Americans when most experts believe that no fear is warranted. This is not the first time the Social Security fund has been running short. You may remember that the Greenspan Commission was formed in 1981 in order to keep the fund from going bankrupt. According to the Social Security Trustees Report, the fund will continue to run a surplus until 2023 – meaning that the taxes collected from payrolls will be more than enough to pay out benefits. After 2023, the reserves of the fund will begin being used to pay out the promised benefits. As early as 2036, however, the reserves will be depleted. If absolutely nothing is done, FICA and taxes on benefits will be enough to pay out about 75% of promised benefits for many years. But that’s if nothing is done, and I believe there will be changes. I don’t say that to worry you, but the contrary. The changes proposed include some simple acts such as increasing the earnings cap (perhaps even lifting it completely), raising full retirement age for younger Americans, raising the tax amount of Social Security, and many others. At this point, some of you may be concerned that changes will impact your benefits. However, the last two times benefit payouts were impacted – in 1977 and 1983 – all changes were “future” changes meaning that there was a 7 and a 17 year period before the changes took effect on benefits. In both scenarios, benefits for those over age 60 were not substantially impacted. Perhaps the most important takeaway is that you should not overreact to the media. Do not file early because you believe the hype. If you file early, you may be leaving thousands on the table. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
8
Will social security be enough to live on?
Probably not Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
9
retirement spending for the Average Retiree*
Shelter/Utilities $14,650 Transportation $6,918 Clothing $1,221 Healthcare $4,883 Food $6,104 The average retired couple reports spending these amounts on what they deem as necessities. The annual total is $32,100. Some of you will spend more in retirement; others will spend less. Given that our necessities total a fairly large amount, it makes sense to get as much from Social Security as possible. Your retirement may last 30 years or more. Have you saved enough to last? Maximizing your benefits means that when your savings may be running low later in life, you will still be receiving the most in Social Security. $33,776 Source: U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009 * Retirees aged 65 to 74 with a reported spending average of $40,685 Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
10
How much will my benefit be?
It depends… Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
11
How much will I receive? Your benefits are determined by a combination of factors: How much you earned over your working lifetime The age at which you apply for benefits Your marital status How well you use the rules to maximize your benefits If you start to collect at: 62 66 70 Your monthly retirement benefit is: Your minimum At least 1/3 more At least 3/4 more $1000 $1333 $1760 How much you will receive in Social Security benefits is based on a number of factors. First, it’s based on how much you earned over your lifetime. The more you earned, the greater your benefit will be – up to the maximum benefit amount. In 2013, the maximum full retirement benefit is $2,533. In order for your full retirement benefit to be $2,533, you must be turning 66 in 2013 and have earned the maximum Social Security wages for basically every year of your career. Your benefit amount is also determined by the age at which you apply for benefits. If you apply earlier than your full retirement age, they will be reduced. If you apply at age 62, you will only receive 75% of your full retirement benefit. If you apply after your full retirement age, you will get more. You can see in the example above that it pays to collect benefits later. Benefits are also impacted by your marital status. Married couples can use the rules of spousal benefits to their advantage and collect much more in benefits. Also, survivor benefits for widows and widowers have their own set of rules that may be advantageous to you. Finally, if you are divorced, you may be eligible for a divorced spouse benefit on your ex-spouse’s earnings record. Source: Social Security Administration, 2013 Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
12
How much are benefits worth?
At age 66, Joe claims his $1,800/month retirement benefit At age 66, Mary claims her $1,100/month benefit If both live for 20 more years, the couple would collect $696,000 in benefits* *(1, ,100) x 12 months x 20 years=$696,000 Your benefits can be worth a lot! Most people tend to think about their benefits as being a few hundred dollars each month, but they don’t think about the cumulative total over their retirement horizon. For Joe and Mary, $696,000 in cumulative benefits is more than they thought it would add up to. This means that they will need this much less from their savings during retirement. And while $696,000 sounds pretty good, remember Joe and Mary. At the end of our presentation, we’ll talk about how they can get even more! Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
13
How Benefits are calculated
Formula includes your highest 35 years of earnings (years with no earnings are averaged in as zero) Earnings are indexed for inflation and averaged Your benefits are based on your Primary Insurance Amount Benefit is increased in some years by cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) The SSA uses a formula to calculate your benefit amount. They look at your highest 35 years of earnings. If you do not have 35 years of earnings, they will average in zeroes for those “missing” years. In order to qualify for any benefits at all, you must have at least 10 years of earnings on which you paid Social Security taxes. Your actual benefits are based on your Primary Insurance Amount – arrived at through a formula that is applied to your earnings. Your Primary Insurance Amount is also your Full Retirement Benefit, or the amount you will receive monthly if you begin your benefits at your full retirement age. Your monthly benefit can increase in a couple of ways: first, if you continue working and contributing to Social Security, your benefits will be recalculated each year to reflect that. Second, your benefit will increase in years that Cost of Living Adjustments are given. You can find your benefit amount by going online to You will set up an online account and receive your statement immediately via a download link. Your statement will look much like the Social Security Statements that used to be mailed to your home each year. Incidentally, those statements will be mailed each year to all workers aged 60 and older. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised Source: Social Security Administration, 2013
14
Impact of filing early If you file before full retirement age, you will receive a percentage of your full retirement benefit. If you were born between 1943 and 1954: Apply at age Benefit will be % of PIA Example if PIA is $2,230 62 75.0% $1,672 63 80.0% $1,784 64 86.7% $1,933 65 93.3% $2,080 As you can see from this slide, if you file before your full retirement age, your benefit will be reduced. When thinking about the reduction, think backward from age 66 to age 62. Your reduction for the first 36 months from full retirement age (that is, from age 66 backward to age 63) is 5/9% per month. From age 63 to 62, it’s an additional 5/12% per month. That means at 62, you’ll receive 75% of your full retirement benefit. Think Backward: From age 63 to 62, it’s 5/12% From age 66 to 63, reduction is 5/9% of PIA Age 66 Age 65 Age 64 Age 63 Age 62 Source: Social Security Administration, 2013 Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
15
Delayed retirement credits
For every month beyond your full retirement age that you wait to claim, you will get 2/3% more! Called Delayed Retirement Credits If you were born between 1943 and 1954: Apply at age Benefit will be % of PIA Example if PIA is $2,230 66 100% $2,230 67 108% $2,408 68 116% $2,363 69 124% $2,765 70 132% $2,943 Now this slide shows the impact of Delayed Retirement Credits. The bottom line is that for every month beyond your full retirement age that you wait to claim a benefit, you will receive a credit of 2/3% more. These credits are not compounded, but they do add up. If you wait until age 70 to claim your benefit, you will receive 32% more in benefits than if you begin at your full retirement age. Source: Social Security Administration, 2013 Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
16
How can I maximize benefits?
with a good claiming strategy Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
17
What is a claiming strategy?
Analyzing the rules of Social Security and creating a plan to claim benefits for a particular outcome specific to a situation. This may involve combining and/or postponing certain benefits at a particular time to maximize cumulative benefits. A claiming strategy is literally the act of combining all of the complicated rules into a personalized plan for you to claim benefits for a particular outcome. The outcome may be maximum cumulative benefits. It may be income at a particular time. It also may involve switching benefits at a particular time or turning on or off a category of benefits at a particular time. But if you don’t know all of the rules, you may miss an important factor in your strategy. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
18
Auxiliary Benefits Benefits paid to others based on a worker’s record:
Spousal benefits: paid to the spouse of the worker Survivor benefits: paid to the surviving spouse of the worker Children’s benefits: paid to minor children under 18 Child-in-care benefits: paid to the parent of children under 16 I’m not going to spend a lot of time on auxiliary benefits, but I do want you to be aware that there are multiple benefits that can be paid from one earner’s record. Spousal benefits are those paid to the eligible spouse – or the divorced spouse – of a worker. Survivor benefits are, of course, those paid to the surviving spouse after the death of the first to die. Children under 18 can also receive benefits from a parent who has filed for retirement benefits. Child-in-care benefits can be paid to the parent of minor children (under age 16) still in the home when the worker files for retirement benefits. We’ll spend some time today talking about spousal and survivor benefits, but if you have questions about children’s or child-in-care benefits, you can call our office. The important thing about this slide is to remember that maximizing your benefits may mean using a combination of these categories of benefits to assure you get the most possible from Social Security. The more of these categories of benefits you or your family qualify for, the more complex your strategy may become. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
19
When should I start benefits?
Depends on a lot of factors: Marital status Age Health outlook Likely longevity Total assets available Liquid assets Need for income Desired standard of living Planning to continue work Survivor needs When you should begin your Social Security benefits depends on a number of factors. Some are listed on this slide. Let’s set marital status, age, health, and longevity aside for a moment – we’ll take a closer look at those later. But the other factors listed relate to your financial portfolio. Some of you may need income early, while others may be more concerned about having the highest income possible later when your savings may be running low. Some of you may plan to work longer than others. Regardless, when you begin benefits should be looked at holistically with your complete financial picture so that you can make the best choice for your situation. You need a STRATEGY that considers all of these factors! Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
20
Criteria to consider in selecting start dates
Criterion 1: Which starting date for singles or dates for couples will maximize expected cumulative lifetime benefits? Criterion 2: Which starting date for singles or starting dates for couples will minimize longevity risk, that is, the risk of outliving their retirement savings? These are two very important criteria is determining when you should begin your benefits. Why are these so important? It’s important to get the most possible in benefits. A 2012 report from the Society of Actuaries found that more than half of retirees and pre-retirees misjudge their life expectancy. Four in ten underestimate their lives by five or more years. If you’ve underestimated your life expectancy and have made inadequate provision for your spending needs, getting the most possible from Social Security is your best bet for making your savings last as long as possible. What about other risks to your retirement? As you age, you will likely require more health care, much of which won’t be covered by Medicare. And while inflation hasn’t been as much of a concern in recent years, market conditions will change and inflation will probably impact your purchasing power in future years. Did you plan for your retirement to last so long? Have you saved enough to maintain your lifestyle – or to cover the costs of care you may need? Most of us haven’t saved enough. That’s why you need to make the most of your Social Security benefits. You will have more income for the rest of your life – especially in later years when your savings may be running low. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
21
What is a spousal benefit and when are you entitled to it?
The spousal benefit is based on 50% of the other spouse’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) As the spouse of an insured worker, you are eligible to receive spouse's insurance benefits if you meet the conditions below: Your spouse has filed for retirement benefits. You are not receiving a benefit based on a primary insurance amount which equals or exceeds one-half your spouse’ primary insurance amount. You have filed an application for spousal benefits. You are over 62. Married couples can take advantage of more strategies to get more in benefits. Spousal benefits garnered in combination with retirement benefits can mean the addition of thousand of dollars more in benefits each year. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
22
Who gets a spousal benefit?
His PIA* $1200, her PIA* $400 His PIA* $1200, her PIA* $700 His PIA 1200 Times 50% X .50 Spousal base =600 Minus her PIA* -400 Spousal benefit 200 His PIA 1200 Times 50% X .50 Spousal base =600 Minus her PIA* -700 Spousal benefit This slide shows an example of when someone can claim a spousal benefit. Please keep in mind that this relates to a claim for spousal benefits before full retirement age – the rules change a little (and in a good way) once the spouse reaches full retirement age. More about that later. If the husband’s full retirement benefit is $1200, the wife can collect up to 50% of that amount as a spousal benefit. It’s important to note that spousal benefits DO NOT earn delayed retirement credits, so they are never more than 50% of the earner’s benefit. However, if you claim a spousal benefit prior to your full retirement age, the benefit is reduced. If you claim at age 62, your spousal benefit will be only 70% of the earner’s full retirement benefit. You see on the left that the “Spousal Base” is $600. That is 50% of the husband’s primary insurance amount. On the left, the wife has a primary insurance amount of $400. Therefore, she would be able to collect a spousal benefit of $200 monthly. On the right, the wife has a primary insurance amount of $700, more than the potential spousal benefit. Therefore, she would not be entitled to a spousal benefit because her own benefit is higher. *Primary Insurance Amount, or full retirement benefit. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
23
Claiming rules before and after full retirement age
Before full retirement age a claim for either a spousal or retirement benefit will be deemed a claim for both. In other words, before your full retirement age, you cannot choose which benefit to collect – you automatically get the highest. At and after full retirement age you can choose to file for both benefits or restrict the application for either spousal or retirement benefit. Here, though, is what happens regarding Full retirement age. If you claim before, and you are eligible for both a spousal benefit AND your own benefit, you essentially collect the higher of the two benefits. You are “deemed to be filing” for all your eligible benefits, and you cannot choose which one you want to receive. But after you reach full retirement age, you can choose which one you want. You can file for your own benefit, or you can file for the spousal benefit, allow yours to earn delayed retirement credits until age 70, and switch to your own benefit at that time. We call this “claim now and then claim more later.” Remember this: at your full retirement age, you can choose which benefit to collect. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
24
Common Claiming Strategies at FRA
File and suspend One earner can file for benefits and immediately suspend payment Makes the spouse eligible to collect a spousal benefit Generally the higher earner files and suspends Sometimes the optimal strategy involves the lower earner filing and suspending Allows own benefits to accrue delayed retirement credits File a restricted application for only spousal benefits Also called “restricting the scope of the application” Means that one can collect only spousal benefits while own benefits accrue delayed retirement credits There are 2 “strategies for claiming Social Security retirement benefits that are being written about in the media. These are becoming very common – but we caution that there are still many Social Security Administration agents who do not understand these concepts. Each strategy involves a combination of rules that allow a series of actions. These are not always clear in the SSA documentation. Please remember that these are only possible after you reach your full retirement age. The first you will hear or read about is known as “file and suspend.” This is when one earner, usually the higher earner – but not always, files for benefits at full retirement age or after, but does not actually collect a benefit until later – as late as age 70 when the maximum in delayed retirement credits can be applied. These are two separate actions – first, you file for benefits, then once you’ve been approved but before you get a check, you must call the SSA and request that your benefits be suspended. If you simply tell the agent you want to file and suspend, chances are you will be told it’s not an option. We promise that it is an option. Filing and suspending your benefits allows 2 very important actions to take place. First, filing for benefits makes your spouse eligible to claim a spousal benefit on your earnings. In other words, for your spouse to collect the spousal benefit, you must have “opened your account” for benefits. Second, when you suspend, your benefits begin accruing the delayed retirement credits of 2/3% per month. This allows your own benefit to grow while your spouse collects up to 50% of your full retirement benefit. A second common strategy is known as “filing a restricted application.” At full retirement age, if you are eligible to receive both your own retirement benefit and a spousal benefit, you can choose which you want to collect – but again, only at your full retirement age. Prior to that you do not have a choice! Filing a restricted application means that you can collect only the spousal benefit you are eligible to receive, while your own benefit grows delayed retirement credits. And one more important point: Only one spouse can collect spousal benefits at a time. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
25
Less Common Strategy at FRA
Voluntarily suspend Started benefits early, realizes it was a mistake At FRA, can Voluntarily Suspend benefits Will earn Delayed Retirement Credits for each month no benefit is claimed Example: PIA of $2,000 Began at 62 = $1,500 (75% of $2,000) Suspend at 66 Resume at 70 = $1,980 (48 months of DRCs) Entitled to benefits in suspension at any time One less common strategy is gaining some in notoriety. It’s called “Voluntary Suspension of benefits,” and it, too, is only available to use at or after your full retirement age. This strategy is primarily used to “fix a mistake.” If you’ve already begun your benefits, and it’s been less than 12 months since your started, you can withdraw your application, repay all benefits paid to you, and start over at a later date just as if you’d never begun. But if you are past the 12 month window, you have very few options. You do have “voluntary suspension.” At or after your full retirement age, you can request that your benefits be suspended. For each month you do not collect a benefit, you will earn those delayed retirement credits we discussed earlier. Here’s an example of how it works: If your Primary Insurance Amount (or PIA) is $2,000 and you claimed benefits at age 62, you started receiving about $1,500 monthly. If you suspend at exactly age 66 and resume at age 70, your benefit will grow through delayed retirement credits and will be $1,980 at age 70. That’s 32% more added to the benefit you began at age 62. You are entitled to the benefits held in suspension at any time. That means that you can collect in a lump sum all the money that you’ve suspended. Keep in mind, if you do this, your monthly benefit will be what it was at the time of suspension. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
26
Remember joe and mary? Joe: PIA of $1,800 Mary: PIA of $1,100
If each begins own benefit at 66, lifetime cumulative = $696,000 Here’s a better option: At age 66, Joe files and suspends his benefit At age 66, Mary is eligible for her own benefit of $1,100/mo. or a spousal benefit of $900/mo. She can claim only the spousal now ($900) and at age 70 switch to her own benefit which has grown 32% from $1,100 to $1,452. Joe claims his own benefit at age 70 when it has grown to $2,376. The lifetime cumulative payout is $778, $82,176 more! Let’s go back and look at Joe and Mary. Remember, with their plan for collecting Social Security, they will receive about $696,000 in cumulative lifetime benefits. But let’s look at a better strategy for them that uses some of the concepts we’ve talked about: When Joe is full retirement age of 66, he can file and suspend his benefits. Remember, this will make Mary eligible for her spousal benefit while his own retirement benefit grows with delayed retirement credit. At age 66, Mary is eligible to receive her own benefit of $1,100 monthly or her spousal benefit of $900 monthly. Because she is full retirement age, she can claim her spousal now, and at age 70, switch to her own retirement benefit that is at its maximum due to delayed retirement credits. At age 70, Joe begins receiving his own benefit when it is $2,376. This increases their cumulative lifetime benefit by $82,176! That means that $82,176 less will have to be withdrawn from their savings. That means that the survivor benefit paid to one of them will be $2,376 for the rest of his or her lifetime – rather than $1,800 if Joe begins benefits at full retirement age. This is general and hypothetical. It is not a guarantee of specific results. Individual circumstances vary. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
27
summary When you claim matters!
The rules are complicated and voluminous. There are many combinations of options that can help you maximize your benefits. Your decision is irrevocable beyond 12 months after you begin benefits. You should seek expert tax, legal and/or financial advice. SO what does all this mean for you? First, we hope you understand better that when you claim matters! Sometimes it can be a matter of a month of waiting that will make a substantial difference in the lifetime benefits you receive. The rules are complicated. They are voluminous. While you may be able to do some internet research and learn a few of the rules, the likelihood that you will overlook something important is significant. You need help with the rules, and we can make it simple. There are many combinations of those rules that can help you. We use powerful software coded with all the rules to tell you the exact strategy that will get you the most in benefits – and we can help you compare other claiming options side-by-side. Because your decision is irrevocable beyond 12 months, it’s critical that you get it right. You can’t afford to make a mistake. You need expert advice. Our firm can remove the complexity and make it simple for you. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
28
How NPB Wealth Management firm can help
Full Social Security Analysis Personalized report Recommended claiming strategy to maximize benefits Compare other strategies Specific claiming instructions Colorful graphs Educational information about benefits ANSWERS I mentioned that our firm uses powerful software; let’s talk about what that means for you. With only a few pieces of information that you give us – and we don’t ask for your Social Security number – you can get a full Social Security analysis and recommendation. It’s a multi-page personalized report that gives a recommended claiming strategy. It educates you, in simple terms, how social security works and how your benefits are calculated. There are graphs and charts that are easy to read. It gives you the ANSWERS you need. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
29
NEXT STEPS NPB Wealth Management specializes in Investment Management, Financial & Retirement Planning Services addressing the unique issues for the LGBT community. Contact us at or or to discuss your specific needs. Copyright Social Security Solutions. All rights reserved. Revised
Similar presentations
© 2025 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.