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Social Security Without The Headache · Aging ain't for Sissies

• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome back to Aging A for Sissies.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Marcy Backis, and I am your host.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I'm happy to have you here.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: This is a very, I live in downtown Chicago.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: If you didn't know that already, um, and today's a very exciting day in Chicago.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Today is the opening of the presidential Obama Presidential Center.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: So we have had um dignitaries and big wigs in the city all week.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: I haven't had one single spotting, which makes me kind of sad.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: Jerry O'Connell, maybe.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but uh I hear that at Gibson's, one of our favorite restaurants right down the street.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Last night Obama and Clinton were having dinner.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: There's a lot going on.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Big doings today.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: Bruce Springsteen is in town singing for Obama.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, if you haven't seen the Presidential Center, please go online and look it up.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: It is a beautiful building, unique, different.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's not a building that you've seen before.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's pretty fabulous.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's pretty exciting.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: And we are expecting here in our lovely city over a million visitors a year, strictly for the Obama Presidential Center.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Not to mention all the other fabulous things here in my great city of Chicago.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: Life is going good for me.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: Had a cancer checkup yesterday.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Everything's looking good.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: For those of you that have been with me for a long time, know I went through cancer last year.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: So it always feels good after you go to your oncologist and you get the thumbs up for a little while longer.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: I think you're always waiting for the other shoe to drop if you've had cancer.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's just the way it is.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: I believe that's just part of the process.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but we're doing good, looking good, doing good, feeling good.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: Summer is in full swing here in the city.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Wednesday night fireworks last night on Navy Pier.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: We have them every Friday and Saturday.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I don't know.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: The city is just electric at this time of year.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: This time and Christmas time are two of the times the city just honestly, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: It feels like you're in a movie all the time.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: And uh so that's what's been going on with me.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: Planning my trip to California, planning a trip to Arizona, planning a trip to France.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Those are the things that are on my list, my to-do list, right?
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: I'm pretty grateful to have that as a to-do list.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: But I hope that your summer is treating you well, whether you're working, whether you're retired, uh, hope you're traveling, I hope you're doing what you want to do because this part of life, this aging part of life, was the part of life we worked really hard to get to.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: We're blessed to be here.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: No matter what your aches, pains, or issues are, you are blessed to have lived this long.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: And I want you to live it well.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Today we're going to be talking about social security.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the first thing I want to say is I am no expert.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: As a matter of fact, anything I ever talk about, I am not an expert on unless it's hair coloring.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: That I am truly an expert on.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm licensed to be one.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: But the rest of it is just information I glean for you and I try to put into an enjoyable podcast.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: So if I get something wrong, if something's wrong on this, I'm doing my best.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to tell you, I'm going to give you information today about Social Security, and it is your job to vet that information.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: But I did my best to vet it ahead of time.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: And today we are tackling a topic that it that makes people's eyes glaze over.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: I'm telling you.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: It just does.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: Social security.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: But stay with me because whether you're already collecting Social Security, I am, getting close to collecting it, or just wondering what all the fuss is about, this is one of the most important financial decisions many of us will ever make.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Because trust me, when you make the decision to take Social Security, you can't change it.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll we'll get into that a little bit.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: So when I say that, I'm not just saying it tongue in cheek.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: I'm telling you, it's an important financial decision and it's unchangeable.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: And yet nobody really explains it.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like there's nobody out there explaining social security.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: There's probably some podcasts.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I know.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: I looked it up on the internet.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I know.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um, that's why I'm doing it because no one else is doing it.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: So most of us know three things.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: You can start it at 62, you will get a check, or these days you can set it up as an automatic deposit.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: And somehow the government figures out the amount.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: And those are all true things.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: That's about it.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: That's about what we know.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: That's about where our social security knowledge begins and ends.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: So today we're going to talk about Social Security in plain English, no financial jargon, no complicated formulas, just the things you really need to know.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: And by the end of this episode, I hope you'll feel a little less confused and a lot more informed.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: Because, friends, aging ain't for sissies, and apparently neither is figuring out social security.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: And that is no lie.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: I had to figure it out for both Craig and I.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: I did a lot of research, did a lot of things, and um, I want to share that with you.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to start with the biggest misconception.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Many people believe they should take Social Security as soon as they can.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: After all, you've paid into it your entire work life.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: Why wait?
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: That I I and neither one of these things or any of one of these things I'm going to tell you are right or wrong.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's just going to be a choice.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the catch.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: You can start collecting Social Security as early as age 62, but your monthly benefit, aka the check, is permanently reduced if you claim it early.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: Because 62 is not what the government considers retirement age.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: The longer you wait up to age 70, the larger your monthly check becomes.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll explain a little bit more of that.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: So notice I said permanently, not temporarily, permanently.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: So your benefit will be permanently reduced if you claim Social Security early.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: 62 is considered early.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: 67, I'll get I have it in my notes when I get there.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: 67, 65 to 67 is considered retirement age.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: That's when your check will be what your check should be.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: If you hold off and that money, you hold off to getting that money till 70, your check will be larger.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: But I also want you to think about let's say you waited till 70 and you get a larger check, but you die at 75.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: Well, would it have been better to have taken it at 62 and have gotten money from 62 to 70?
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: These are things you have to figure out.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: It and that decision follows you the rest of your life.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: I took mine at 62.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: I can't change it, never will be able to change it.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: It is what it is.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: I knew that when I did it.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: I did it strictly because I don't think I have a long life.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: And there's a lot of reasons for that.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's all medical.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: Trust me.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and plus I live in a city.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: I could be hit by a bus any day, and that's no joke.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's true.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: But I took mine early.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: Craig took his a little later.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: Because that decision is you once you make it, you can't go back.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: Now, does that mean that everybody should wait?
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: Because woo, no.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: That's where things get interesting.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: So these are the three big ages everybody should know.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: If you're approaching retirement, there are three ages you need to understand.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: 62.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: This is the earliest age you can begin collecting Social Security retirement benefits.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of people jump in here because they're tired of working.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: And believe me, I understand that feeling.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: But taking benefits at 62 means accepting a smaller monthly check for the rest of your life.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: All right, it can mean that, but it could also mean you may still be working and you take that.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: You can invest that money.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: Do you think you can invest it better than what the government can?
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: I think you can.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say you're going to take it and it's$2,000 a month.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: And if you waited, it would be more.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: But you take that$2,000 a month and you invest it until age 66 or 70.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: It may look better.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: Again, these are things you got to figure out.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, full retirement age.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: This is for most of today's retirees.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: Full retirement age is somewhere between 66 and 67, depending on when you were born.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: That's the age when you qualify for your full benefit amount.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: So somewhere, the age 65 got bantered around as retirement age.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I know companies and government agencies think it's earlier.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm telling you, this is you will not get your full benefit amount until between 66 and 67.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: You can go on the Social Security website and you can figure out when you will qualify for your full benefit amount.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: That's the amount of full retirement age.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, age 70.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: So we've talked about 62, the 66 to 67 years, age 70.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: This is the magic age.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: Every month you delay after retirement age.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: Now, what's retirement age?
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: Between 66 and 70, 67, depending on your birth date.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: Every month you delay after full retirement age increases your future benefit until age 70.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: After that, there's no advantage to waiting any longer.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: Think of it this way: the government is basically saying if you wait a little longer, we'll pay you more each month.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: And you can do, there is a mechanism on the website to what benefit you'd get at what age.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: It's not, you don't have to guess.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: There is a, you put in the dates, you put in things, and it gives you the amount.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about why everyone doesn't wait.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: I gave you a little foretaste of this because life happens.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: Some people need the money.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: Some people retire earlier than expected.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: Some people have health concerns.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'm one of those.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: I took my money because I don't see myself living a super long life.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I wanted my money now.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: Some people simply want to enjoy retirement while they're healthy.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: Healthy enough to travel and have fun.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: We've talked about that on this podcast.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: There are real considerations, and that's why there isn't one perfect answer for everybody.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: One thing I found really interesting while I was looking, researching this episode is that many people claim benefits earlier than planned because they're worried Social Security won't be there in the future.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: AARP, which you know I do belong to AARP, I think everybody should, notes that concerns about the program's finances often push people to file earlier.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: But filing earlier out of fear isn't always the best financial decision.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: It is important to separate facts from headlines.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: Okay?
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: Right now, I'm not worried about it running out.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: They've been talking about that since I was a kid, to be honest with you.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: It is important to separate facts from headlines.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: Do your research.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I'm giving you information.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: I expect you to research it.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about married couples.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's talk about something many people don't realize.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: Marriage matters.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: Social security isn't just about your own work record.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this I took my spousal benefit, so I'm going to explain that to you.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Spousal benefits may allow someone to receive up to 50% of a spousal's benefit depending on eligibility and claiming age.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: Survivor benefit may also be available after a spouse dies.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so survivor benefit and spousal benefit are two different things.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: I did not work a lot in my life.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: I did work enough to get social security.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: When I looked at what I would receive as social security or taking a spousal benefit, I got more taking a spousal benefit.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: Craig is alive.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_00: I am married to Craig.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: I can still take a spousal benefit.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: So what that means is I I get a portion of the amount Craig gets.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: He gets his full amount, but I get a spousal benefit also.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: This is so hard to explain.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: Without diminishing his benefit.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: I know it's weird.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: I learned about it when I was researching years ago for us.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: I get more using a spousal benefit than I would getting my own.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_00: Now, their survivor benefits may also be available after a spouse dies.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: So if your spouse has passed away, you can get yours and survivor benefits.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: We get Craig's and I get a spousal benefit.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: If Craig is to die, I do believe I only get his benefit.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: So what I want you to do is research spousal benefit and have it explained.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: Your husband does not, or your wife does not have to be dead to receive spousal benefit.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: They can be alive, get their full benefit, and you get a higher benefit using a spousal benefit versus your own.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what we do.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: So that means your claiming decision can affect not only you, but also your spouse.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: This is one reason financial planners offer encourage couples to look at the bigger picture rather than treating Social Security as two separate decisions.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: It needs to be looked at together, folks.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I could not claim a spousal benefit unless Craig got Social Security first.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: He did because he's five years older than me, people.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: So it worked out for us.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: But research that again, spousal benefit and survivor benefit, two different things.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: Spousal benefit, your spouse is still alive.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: Survivor benefit, your spouse has met their demise.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: So the question no one likes to ask, how long do you think you're going to live?
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: And that is a big part of this.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: You know, this is why I made the decision I made.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody likes this question, but it's important.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: If longevity runs in your family and you're healthy, waiting longer may produce significantly more lifetime income.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: If your health is poor, your circumstances may point toward claiming earlier.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: This isn't just a math problem, it's a life problem.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_00: And unfortunately, none of us have a crystal ball.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: So you're going to have to look at your life history, your family history, and make some decisions.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_00: That was a lot of information.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: I know.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: What you should do before filing, before you make any decisions, right now, go on and create a Social Security account.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to be any particular age to do that.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: Create your Social Security account.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_00: If you're young, it'll show you what you're paying into Social Security.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: It'll give you information.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: You see your earnings record.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure it's accurate.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: Understand what your projected benefits are.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure that all your jobs have been reported.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: Look and know your financial picture should always be crystal clear to you.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: And Social Security, whether you're 30 or whether you're 70, is important.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: Understand what your projected benefits are.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: Look at your whole financial picture.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_00: Social Security shouldn't be considered in isolation.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: Look at what you have in your savings, investments, pensions, expenses.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: And they've made some changes on double dipping.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are in a pension situation and getting Social Security, there's been some updates on that.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: So if you have old knowledge, go in and look at that.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: Health record, health care costs, retirement goals.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_00: AARP recommends looking at your complete retirement budget before deciding when to claim benefits.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: Do not make the decision based on your neighbor.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: Your neighbor's best strategy may be completely wrong for you.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_00: The strategy I shared with you about Craig and I may not work for you at all.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: You need this is an individual, aka couple's decision.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know if AKA was right there.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: Also non-ass.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_00: No, probably not.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: Anyways, it's a decision that needs to be looked at by both of you.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: Every retirement is different, everybody has different savings, everybody's health situation is different.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_00: Every family is different.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody, you may have a pension from one job, you may have a 401k.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: You have all these things happening out there that started when you were young.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: You may not even remember.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: You need to keep an eye and look on everything.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_00: And and have it, have it really, have a real good understanding.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: Craig still works.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: We also receive Social Security because there was a point where he retired for a hot second.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: Again, you make those decisions and they stick with you.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: So I know there's gonna come a point where our income is gonna get drastically reduced.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I am trying now to have us live on the budget we'll have when we retire.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not putting my head in the sand anymore.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: I'm trying to keep us on track with that.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: So that's what I'm not doing anymore this week.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: All right, that was exhausting.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's a lot of information.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: When you're dealing with Social Security, don't go to bogus sites.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure that anything you're ever on is.gov in the address.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure when you're giving information and you're handling these kinds of things, you're not giving your information over to nefarious sites.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: Double check everything.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want you making a poor decision in getting online and having that mess up for you.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: So make sure you're on the right government site and get that Social Security um login as soon as you possibly can.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, here's what I want you to remember: Social Security isn't just a government check.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's one of the biggest retirement decisions you'll ever make.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_00: And the good news, you don't have to become an expert overnight.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: You just have to start asking questions.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to learn your options, understand the trade-offs.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_00: I've just glossed over things today.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_00: I've glossed over them.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: I I did a lot of research on AARP and on the internet.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't want to get deep in decisions.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: I've glossed over information.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_00: I've I've hopefully hit a couple of hot buttons for you to go in and get more information.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: If you have a financial advisor, this is the person that can help you with that.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't, do the research on your own.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: You just have to ask questions and learn your options, understand trade-offs, look at your situation honestly, and make the best decisions for your life.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_00: Because retirement isn't about maximizing every penny.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's about creating a life that works for you.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for spending part of your day with me.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: If today's episode cleared up some of that confusion around Social Security, share it with a friend.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: Chances are they're wondering the same thing.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: And until next time, as always, I just want you to keep laughing, keep learning, keep asking questions.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: And remember, we're not aging quietly.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_00: We're aging intentionally.
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_00: Because, my friends, aging ain't for 50.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: Until next week.