Social Security & Medicare Resources
Explore articles, tools, and videos designed to help you make confident decisions about Medicare and Social Security benefits.
Social Security & Medicare Basics
Make informed decisions regarding your Medicare and Social Security benefits.
Featured Content
Medicare Explained: Eligibility, Benefits, Costs, and More!
Since most Medicare recipients wish they better understood the program, we’re happy to cover the basics here including eligibility, benefits, costs, and more!
Article
Medigap Explained: Coverage, Benefits, and How It Works
While retirees often encounter many surprises, one of the most common is looming Medicare coverage gaps. Thankfully, Medigap plans are there to help.
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What are Medicare Advantage Plans and How Do they Work?
Over 34 million (or 54%) Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. Find out if these plans are right for you.
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How to Maximize Your Social Security Benefits
In this post, we’ll outline various approaches on how to maximize your Social Security benefits so you can enjoy retirement to the fullest.
Article
Meet IRMAA:
The Medicare surcharge that catches retirees by surprise
IRMAA, or "income-related monthly adjustment amount," is an additional charge (in some cases a few hundred dollars) that may be added to your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums if your income exceeds a specific threshold.
The 2-Year "IRMAA Look-Back" Trap
IRMAA is based on your tax returns from two years prior. Therefore, Medicare premiums for age 65 are based on your tax return from age 63 and so on.
You can work and collect Social Security benefits simultaneously
While you can continue working and receive Social Security benefits simultaneously, doing so can temporarily reduce the dollar amount of your monthly check.
Social Security Retirement Earnings Test
The Social Security earnings test is a rule that temporarily reduces your Social Security benefits if you are under full retirement age and earn more than a set annual limit from work. Once you reach full retirement age, the earnings test no longer applies, and your benefits are not reduced.
Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap. Which Is Right for You?
Contrary to popular belief, Medicare does not cover every healthcare-related expense. For example, you’re still responsible for deductibles, copays, and many services such as vision, dental, and hearing aids. That’s why Medicare Advantage and Medigap policies exist—to help cover many of these costs.
You can only choose one or the other.
If you’re enrolled in a Medigap plan, you can’t buy a Medicare Advantage plan—it’s either one or the other. While it’s possible to switch, you can typically only do so during specific enrollment periods.
Social Security Articles
Did you know that among Social Security beneficiaries age 65+, 39% of men and 44% of women rely on Social Security for at least half of their income? Explore our library of Social Security articles for expert guidance and practical tips to help make the most of your benefits.
Medicare Articles
A recent Harris Poll survey indicates more than 7 out of every 10 Medicare participants over age 50 wish they had a better understanding of the program! Our comprehensive library will help you navigate your Medicare options with confidence.
Popular Questions
Find answers to common questions people ask us about retirement planning.
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Your full retirement age (FRA) is the age when you can begin receiving full, unreduced Social Security benefits. If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is currently 67.
While claiming benefits before reaching your FRA permanently reduces your monthly payments, delaying them until after this milestone gives you a larger monthly benefit until age 70 (when Social Security benefits stop increasing).
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When you decide to collect your monthly Social Security benefits, you must apply with the SSA either online, in-person, or over the phone by calling 1-800-772-1213.
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While Social Security benefits are taxable, how much you’ll pay ultimately depends on your income from other taxable sources as well as where you live.
At the federal level, two primary factors determine if your Social Security benefits are taxable: your marital status and your annual combined income.
At the state level, currently nine states tax Social Security benefits to varying degrees: Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont.
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You can only join, change, or drop a Medicare Advantage plan during specific enrollment periods:
1. Initial Enrollment Period: This 7-month window starts 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after.
2. Medicare Open Enrollment Period: Every year from October 15 to December 7.
3. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: From January 1 to March 31 each year. During this time, you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or drop your plan and return to Original Medicare.
Typically, you must keep your Medicare Advantage Plan for the full calendar year starting on the date your coverage begins. However, if you experience certain life events—such as moving or losing other insurance coverage—you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period to join, switch, or drop your plan.
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Medicare Part A covers patient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility, in-home hospice, and limited home healthcare services.
Individuals who enroll in Medicare automatically receive Part A and are typically not required to pay a monthly premium.
Medicare Part B covers medical services and supplies necessary to treat health conditions, including visits to doctors and other healthcare providers, medical equipment, and ambulance services. It also covers some preventive services (e.g., annual wellness visits, flu shots, and screenings for cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease).
Individuals who lack “creditable coverage” from another source (e.g., through an employer) are required to enroll in Part B. All other beneficiaries pay a monthly premium for Part B—starting at $202.90 in 2026.
Find out if you’re on track to retire—or the age when you can do so comfortably!
Introducing our “Am I on Track” service—$590.
If you’ve recently googled “retirement calculator” to learn whether or not you’re on track to enjoy the retirement you envision, you’re not alone; according to Semrush, a leading marketing insights company, web users perform over 100,000 monthly searches for this exact phrase.
If you’re like most people, however, you know a retirement calculator is far too simple a tool to answer specific questions such as “Can I retire at age ____ (fill in the blank)?” or “At what age can I confidently retire?”
This is precisely where our “Am I On Track?” service comes into play; we’ll collect your financials and gather insights on your retirement goals to churn out an actual score (from 0 to 100) indicating how likely you are to reach your retirement goals. Not on track after all? We’ll outline actionable steps to get you back on course.
Our “Am I On Track?” service comes fully loaded with the following benefits:
✓ Investment portfolio analysis — a review of your holdings, your risk level, your allocation, and the fees you’re paying.
✓ Tax return review — we read your most recent return for missed opportunities and tax-smart moves that strengthen your plan.
✓ Social Security optimization — we identify your optimal claiming age so you get the most from your benefits.
✓ Cash flow and gap analysis — a full look at money in and money out, with income projections that show whether your plan holds up.
✓ Your 0–100 retirement readiness score — one clear number showing how likely you are to reach your retirement goals.
✓ Personal scorecard — a visual snapshot of your net worth, and a baseline to measure your progress from here.
It’s all delivered as a complete retirement roadmap you keep — regardless of whether you decide to work with us.
See if we’re the right fit for you.
Prefer a different path?
The "Am I On Track?" assessment is the most direct way to get a Social Security review and a retirement readiness score. But it isn't the only way to work with us. Here are three more options depending on what you're looking for. No assets required.
Hourly Consulting
Best for: a single specific question — like when to claim Social Security, or how to think about Medicare enrollment timing.
Pay by the hour, get a CFP® professional's read, no ongoing commitment.
VR360 Membership — $3,995/year
Best for: an ongoing relationship that addresses the tax planning around IRMAA, an annual insurance review, and the rest of your financial life.
A flat-fee annual membership that includes tax planning, income tax preparation, an insurance review, estate-planning support (excluding attorney fees), identity-theft protection, and access to exclusive client experiences.
Financial Planning
Best for: a full written plan that integrates Social Security timing, Medicare costs, withdrawal sequencing, and tax strategy in one coherent picture.
A defined engagement that delivers a personalized written plan you can act on.
See if we’re the right fit for you.
30+
YEARS
Helping families navigate complex retirement decisions
FIDUCIARY
Your interests come first — throughout the relationship, not just at the point of sale.
TRANSPARENCY
Clear pricing, no hidden fees, no surprises.
PROPRIETARY PRODUCTS
No proprietary funds. No incentives to push them.
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