Decoding Retirement The Social Security mistake that costs couples $180k
Nov 25, 2025
Join financial planner Jeremy Keil, author of 'Retire Today', as he navigates the intricacies of pre-retirement planning. He highlights the importance of emotional and financial readiness, recommending trial runs to test your retirement lifestyle. Discover how to leverage Social Security as a form of lifetime insurance and learn about optimizing benefits for couples. Jeremy also dives into the significance of longevity in planning and shares strategies like Roth conversions to minimize taxes. Prepare for the unexpected with insights on legacy risks and long-term care.
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Get A Personalized Longevity Estimate
- Use longevityillustrator.org to get a personalized longevity estimate instead of a generic age.
- Personalize assumptions (health, smoking, sex) because they materially change planning outcomes.
Social Security Often Is Underoptimized
- Only about 4% of couples optimize Social Security, costing roughly $180,000 of lifetime benefits.
- Treat Social Security decisions as insurance for old age, survivor protection, and longevity risk.
Compare Filing-Age Matrices
- Use a matrix of filing ages (62–70) for both spouses to compare 81 filing combinations.
- Focus on how choices affect survivor income and couple-level lifetime income, not just individual break-evens.
