If you are planning to stop work before age 60, your Social Security statement estimate for age 67 or 70 likely contains misleading benefit amounts. Standard benefit projections assume you will continue earning your current salary until the year you file—an assumption that is incorrect for early retirees who have gap years before filing with $0 in earnings .

In the kickoff of our Early Retirement series, Garrett Crawford, CFP® professional, explains why your statement estimate is misleading and how to fix it. We discuss how to use the online estimator tool to model $0 income years and why bridging the pre-60 gap requires a strategic focus on taxable brokerage accounts to avoid early withdrawal penalties .

Finally, we examine the survivor benefit as a critical piece of longevity insurance, emphasizing that optimizing for a higher check is often about protecting a surviving spouse from a future tax shock.

(00:00) – Intro

(01:15) – Announcing the New Early Retirement Series

(03:00) – The Big Mistake Early Retirees Make with Social Security

(05:30) – How to Calculate Your Actual Early Retirement Benefit

(07:45) – Bridging the Gap: Income Strategies Before Age 59 ½

(09:20) – The Secret Weapon for Early Retirement: Brokerage Accounts

(11:00) – Spousal & Survivor Benefits Explained

(13:30) – Math vs. Happiness: When Should the Higher Earner Claim?

(15:00) – Key Takeaways & Free Retirement Checklist

(19:54) – Outro

Free Tax Planning Framework Resource for HNW Retirees:

https://www.retirementtaxmatters.com/checklist

Disclosures:

https://www.retirementtaxmatters.com/disclosures

Early Retirement & Social Security: Is Your Statement Estimate Accurate? | Episode 25

Retirement Tax Matters | Advanced Tax Planning for $2M-$8M Retirees

Early Retirement & Social Security: Is Your Statement Estimate Accurate? | Episode 25