Happy Friday Reader ☀️
A different way to think about Social Security…
One of the most common questions I get is:
“When should I take Social Security?”
And the honest answer is… it depends
Most advice focuses on two options:
Take it early
- Create immediate, guaranteed income
- Reduce pressure on your portfolio
Tradeoff: lower lifetime income and reduced survivor benefits
Delay it
- Increase your benefit ~7–8% per year
- Create a larger, inflation-adjusted income stream
Tradeoff: more reliance on your portfolio early on
Both can make sense.
But here’s how I tend to think about it with clients…
Use Social Security as a dynamic income tool
Instead of locking into a specific age, we treat it like a flexible lever in the plan.
If markets are strong:
- lean on your portfolio
- let Social Security continue to grow
If markets are struggling:
- turn Social Security on sooner
- avoid selling investments at a loss
That flexibility is powerful.
Because now you’re not trying to guess the “perfect age”…
👉 you’re adapting based on what’s actually happening
This is exactly what we walk through in a Retirement Income Review—how Social Security fits into your portfolio, your taxes, and your overall income plan.
Not just picking an age… but using it the right way.
If you’re getting close to retirement—or already there and thinking through this—I’m happy to take a look 👍
Matt