Welcome to Better Social Security Decision-Making!
About Social Security Analytics
For most people, Social Security benefits will make up a substantial part of their retirement income. So it's important to understand how your benefit start decision impacts your total retirement income.
At Social Security Analytics, we provide an easy to use yet sophisticated tool - Social Security Benefit Start Analysis - to help you maximize your total retirement income by selecting the optimal Social Security benefit start strategy. If you are wondering when to start your Social Security benefits, we can help you decide.
We are not affiliated with the U.S. Social Security Administration. Our analytics are complementary to the information they provide. We encourage you to use information from the Social Security Administration to gain a better understanding of Social Security benefits.
When Should I Start My Social Security Benefits?
Social Security Benefit Start Analysis
Our Social Security benefit start analysis tool helps you to determine the best start month strategy for you and your spouse in the context of lifetime earnings, retirement savings and expenses.
Ordinary Social Security benefit calculators give a single estimated monthly benefit for one start date. Our analysis tool compares every possible combination of start months for you and your spouse and shows which choices are worth more today and over your lifetime. We take Social Security analysis to the next level!
What Social Security Benefit Start Analysis Does
- Compares every start-month combination and converts future retirement income into a single present-day value so you can pick the best long-term outcome.
- Aggregates all retirement income — Social Security benefits, retirement savings, and expected earnings from work — into one clear picture.
- Includes estimated monthly retirement expenses so you see net retirement cash flow, not just retirement income.
- Evaluates spouse strategies where both spouses claim retirement benefits and where one claims retirement while the other claims spouse benefits.
- Models survivor outcomes and shows how switching to survivor benefits affects long‑term income.
- Handles working while claiming and applies Social Security’s earnings-limit rules so results remain realistic when you or your spouse keep working.
Why Social Security Benefit Start Analysis Matters
- Makes tradeoffs obvious by turning complex timing and coordination choices into dollar-comparable results.
- Reveals outcomes standard calculators miss, like how survivor benefits or part-time work change the optimal claiming plan.
- Gives a single, actionable view of income, expenses, and risk so you can decide with confidence.
Social Security Administration Resources
Here are some resources from the Social Security Administration to help you learn more about Social Security benefits.