News and Media

Kiplinger | How Divorced Retirees Can Maximize Their Social Security Benefits: A Case Study

Published: July 25, 2025

Divorced? You may still be eligible for Social Security benefits based on your ex-spouse’s record, even if they’ve remarried or passed away. NARSSA’s Martha Shedden shares the real case study of 71-year-old Susan — a divorced retiree who made some costly mistakes, but still has options to boost her benefits.

MarketWatch | Here’s what Americans are willing to sacrifice to save Social Security

Published: July 21, 2025

“The bottom line is that across all demographics — age groups, income, political parties — there is such a desire for the program to be strengthened and even improved,” said Martha Shedden, president of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts. “The good thing is every one of those factors can be tweaked in a small way to make a big change.” In any case, addressing the shortfall facing Social Security’s reserves “is just too big of an issue to be a one-rule change,” Shedden said. “It has to be a combination.”

Newsweek | Social Security Update: Major Change for Benefit Recipients

Published: July 16, 2025

Martha Shedden, president and co-founder of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts, told Newsweek: “We welcome any improvements SSA makes to customer service, particularly phone service wait times and field office staffing increases. The SSA.gov web portal plays a significant role in customer service.”

News 5 Cleveland | Dueling letters, contradictions, a man confused: There’s ‘chaos’ at Social Security, says national expert

Published: July 15, 2025

Watch NARSSA’s Martha Shedden on air with News 5 Cleveland, weighing in on the confusion and contradictions affecting SSA communications, and what it means for the public.

FA Magazine | New Program Helps Advisors Publicize Their Social Security Expertise

Published: July 14, 2025

“Advisors who want to stand out as Social Security experts in their local communities now have a resource designed to help them attract the desired attention. The National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts, which offers programs that can result in advisors being certified as registered Social Security analysts (RSSAs), said it has launched a community-oriented publicity program that is AI-driven and can be tailored to the advisors’ needs.”

Newsweek | Social Security Update: Payout Shift Triggers Drop in Personal Income

Published: July 8, 2025

Martha Shedden, president and co-founder of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts, told Newsweek: “Beneficiaries affected by the Social Security Fairness Act were issued retroactive checks by the SSA for their new monthly amounts, some for as many as 16 months back to January 2024. Those individuals are now receiving higher monthly benefit checks that will not change going forward except for the annual COLAs each January.”