Blueprint · $149 · 2026 edition
Social Security: Claim at the Right Time
The retirement decision worth six figures — with the math done for you. Claiming Social Security is the single biggest money decision most retirees make, and the system is built so no one warns you before you make an expensive, permanent mistake.
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What's inside
A complete guide, plus a calculator that runs your numbers.
The guide (PDF)
- How Social Security actually works: your PIA, Full Retirement Age, and the COLA
- The big decision: claiming at 62 vs. FRA vs. 70, with your break-even age
- Spousal benefits and how to coordinate as a couple
- Survivor benefits — the most overlooked move in retirement
- Working while claiming: the earnings test, explained
- Taxes on your benefits, the new senior deduction, and the Medicare/IRMAA link
- Special situations: divorce, public pensions (WEP/GPO repeal), Medicare timing
- Checklist, SSA phone scripts, a 2026 quick-reference card, and a glossary
The tool (Excel)
A Claiming Calculator that turns the guide into your own answer:
- Your benefit at every claiming age, in real dollars
- Your break-even age between any two claiming ages
- Your earnings-test withholding if you work while claiming
Works in Microsoft Excel, free Google Sheets, or LibreOffice.
Who this is for
- Anyone approaching 62–70 deciding when to file
- Married couples coordinating two claims
- Widows and widowers weighing survivor vs. own benefit
- Anyone divorced after 10+ years
- Adult children helping a parent decide
What you'll walk away able to do
- Know your benefit at 62, FRA, and 70 — in real dollars
- Find the break-even age that fits your health and longevity
- Coordinate a couple's claims to maximize lifetime income
- Protect a surviving spouse from a permanent income cut
- Avoid the earnings-test and tax surprises that catch people off guard
Need Medicare and long-term care too?
This guide is part of the Retirement Navigator series. Get all three guides and all three tools with the Retirement Navigator Pass for $299 — instead of $497 separately.
See the Navigator PassQuestions
Before you buy
Is this current?
Yes — every figure is updated for the 2026 program year, and your purchase includes free updates each year.
Do I need special software?
Just a PDF reader and Microsoft Excel — or free Google Sheets / LibreOffice — for the calculator.
Is this financial advice?
No. It's plain-English education that makes you the most informed person in the room. For your specific situation, confirm with the Social Security Administration or a fee-only advisor.
What if it's not for me?
If it doesn't help you, reply to your receipt within the refund window and we'll make it right.