Prepare for Social Security

Updated for 2026 rules, coordination strategies, and real-world filing considerations-so you're not relying on outdated Social Security guidance.

You only get one opportunity to file for Social Security. The decision you make can affect hundreds of thousands of dollars in lifetime income for you, your spouse, and even your heirs.

Social Security isn't just a government program-it's earned income, and for most retirees it remains one of the most important and misunderstood pieces of their retirement picture.

Prepare for Social Security - The Insider's Guide® reflects substantial updates aligned with current Social Security rules and Medicare coordination realities, helping you approach claiming decisions with clarity and confidence.

Written by someone who has spent decades inside the Medicare and retirement industry, this guide helps you think through Social Security the way insiders do-clearly, strategically, and with context most people never receive.

You'll learn how to think through questions like:
When should I file for Social Security based on my situation?How do I estimate my monthly and lifetime benefit amounts?How do Social Security and Medicare work together?What changes if I'm divorced, widowed, or disabled?Should I keep working after filing-and what does that actually do to my benefits?How do I file on my own, step by step?When does it make sense to work with a consultant or advisor?
This book avoids scare tactics and generic rules of thumb. Instead, it shows how decisions interact, where people commonly make costly mistakes, and how to approach Social Security as part of a broader retirement strategy.

Make smarter Social Security decisions-on purpose, not by default.