Social Security and its future have been in the news recently as the DOGE guys have been looking at its innards. Yet, it’s not called the third rail of American politics for nothing.  Over 70 million Americans rely on it for much, if not all, of their retirement income. Like Medicare, Social Security can be complicated to navigate when the time comes for you to enroll.  The toughest question is when to begin taking it–age 62, 67 or 70 in most cases–and the long- term implications of that decision.  In this conversation with Martha Shedden, certified as a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and a Registered Social Security Analyst we discuss many aspects of Social Security income planning as well as the macro issues surrounding its financial viability, efforts to privatize it and questions surrounding the taxing of these benefits on the federal, as well as state level.  There’s much to consider and this podcast provides a good first step for you. More information is available at rssa.com and narssa.org.