Social Security decisions can feel overwhelming, especially when trying to understand spousal and survivor benefits.

What benefits are you entitled to based on your spouse’s record? When should you claim them?

In this Q&A episode, I address two common Social Security questions that women face. I walk through the step-by-step process for determining spousal benefits for married couples and explore the strategic decisions widows face when choosing between their own retirement benefit and survivor benefits. I also share practical guidance for a recent widow navigating cash flow challenges, work decisions, and benefit timing in the early months after loss.

Key points:

• The six-step process to determine spousal benefit eligibility and calculate the maximum benefit amount
• How survivor benefits differ from spousal benefits and why this distinction matters for your strategy
• Why starting one benefit early while delaying another can maximize lifetime Social Security income
• Cash flow considerations when facing the decision to return to work while receiving benefits
• The importance of sequencing decisions rather than rushing to solve everything at once
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
• #47 – Three Game-Changing Social Security Strategies
• #37 – Top 5 Questions on Social Security Survivor Benefits
• #24 – Understanding Spousal (and Ex-Spousal) Social Security Benefits
• Ultimate Guide to Women’s Social Security Success
• Navigating Life After Loss: 3 Part Episode Series
• Tax and Retirement Planning Cheat Sheet (updated for 2026)

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

Major life transitions can leave you feeling lost and uncertain about your financial future.

How do you move forward when everything feels overwhelming? What questions should you even be asking when you’re navigating divorce, widowhood, or any significant financial change?

In this episode, I sit down with Tony Steuer, Author and Host of The Get Ready Podcast. Tony shares his perspective on why so many people freeze when facing financial decisions and how reframing your relationship with money, treating it like learning a new language, can transform confusion into confidence. We discuss practical steps for getting organized, recognizing red flags in advice you receive, and giving yourself permission to ask for help without shame.

Key Insights:

• Why acknowledging overwhelm is the essential first step before making any financial decisions
• The concept of financial fluency and how treating money like a new language removes shame from the learning process
• Red flags that signal potentially harmful financial advice, including time pressure and isolation tactics
• Simple organizational steps to inventory your financial life and understand what you actually have
• How working with fee-based insurance consultants can provide unbiased reviews of existing policies
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

Connect with Tony Steuer:

• Website: Tony Steuer
• LinkedIn: Tony Steuer
• The Get Ready Money Podcast
• The Get Ready Movement

About our Guest:

Tony Steuer, CLU, LA, CPFFE, is an internationally recognized financial preparedness advocate, award-winning author, podcaster and fintech advisor who is changing the way we think about money. Tony is the host of The Get Ready Money Podcast. Tony developed the Get Ready Movement to empower and educate people on all areas of personal finance. He is an Advisor at Insurance Nerds and Dingo Technologies, an expert content reviewer for Nerdwallet and Bankrate as well as a member of The Forbes Advisor Insurance Advisory Board. Tony is a five-time recipient of the Excellence in Financial Literacy Education Award as well as a member of the ThinkAdvisor’s LUMINARIES Class of 2022 as a Finalist in Thought Leadership & Education. Tony served as a long-term member of the California Insurance Department Curriculum Board.

That annual Social Security increase announcement can be confusing.

Is it a bonus? Will it cover your rising costs? More importantly, how does it really affect your decisions about when to retire and when to claim your benefits?

In this episode, I unpack the new 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment for 2026. We explore how Social Security benefits grow differently before and after age 62, why the inflation measure might not match your personal expenses, and how your early work years still count. We provide clarity on how delaying your claim and continuing to work can increase your lifetime benefits, especially important for married couples planning for survivor income.

Key Points Covered:

• The meaning behind the 2026 2.8% COLA and why personal inflation may be higher
• How Social Security uses CPI-W, an inflation index for workers, which can undervalue senior expenses like healthcare
• The role of wage indexing in growing your pre-retirement benefits and the “gap” from age 60 to 62
• The powerful impact of delaying your filing age on your monthly benefit and future COLA dollar amounts
• How working in your 50s, 60s, or 70s can replace low-earning years and permanently increase your benefit
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube