News and Media

Friends Talk Money Podcast | Getting the most out from Social Security post pandemic

Published: July 8, 2021

Listen to three nationally recognized retirement experts discuss Social Security. Richard Eisenberg highlights NARSSA as a training and certification program and he interviews NARSSA’s co-founder, Martha Shedden.

USA TODAY | When will I get my monthly Social Security check? It depends on these quirky rules.

Published: July 7, 2021

So people born on the first of the month are treated as though they are born the month before. What’s more, if you’re born on Jan. 1 that means you were born on Dec. 31 the previous year in the eyes of the Social Security Administration, says Martha Shedden, the president and co-founder of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts.

MSN Money | Terry Savage: When to take Social Security benefits

Published: July 2, 2021

Or you can seek out experts to help you with this decision. Not all financial advisers have expertise. So go to NARSSA.org, the website of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts, to find an expert.

MarketWatch | How to be both an early and a late claimer of Social Security

Published: June 25, 2021

To get an idea when you might consider this “claim-suspend-reclaim” strategy, I reached out to Martha Shedden, co-founder and President of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts. One scenario that she highlighted in an interview is someone at age 62 who has lost his/her job. Claiming Social Security would help that person make ends meet while looking for a new job.

U.S. News & World Report | How to Get a Replacement Social Security Card

Published: June 21, 2021

Those who are requesting updates to their Social Security record also cannot use the online service. “If you plan on making changes to your Social Security card, such as a name change, you will not be able to request a replacement online,” says Martha Shedden, president and co-founder of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts.

Financial Advisor Magazine | 5 Reasons Why An Industry Certification In Social Security Is The Next New Trend For Financial Advisors

Published: June 3, 2021

With over 200,000 financial advisors in the U.S., competition in the financial industry makes it difficult to stand out. By obtaining industry certification as a Social Security expert, financial professionals who specialize in the niche offering of Social Security advisory services are finding success by distinguishing themselves from their competitors, increasing profits and delivering valuable insights to clients.

USA TODAY | Does your state tax social security benefits? Here’s why that’s crucial to your retirement strategy

Published: June 3, 2021

Plan ahead. Learning how Social Security is taxed as the federal and state levels is one task. Planning ahead for those taxes is another, said Martha Shedden, the president and co-founder of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts. “Because only some of Social Security income can be taxed, there are potential withdrawal strategies from retirement and other accounts that can sometimes minimize tax liability.”

TheStreet | Why Do I Pay Taxes On My Social Security and Pension Benefits?

Published: May 4, 2021

Only part of the money an individual contributes to Social Security has had taxes paid on it, says Martha Shedden, RSSA, CRPC, president and co-founder of The National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts (NARSSA). “The history and rational for why and how much of Social Security income is taxable, are quite complex.”

ThinkAdvisor | How to Minimize Taxes When Social Security, RMDs Kick In

Published: April 1, 2021

Financial advisors who have Social Security expertise and the understanding of tax consequences when withdrawing funds from retirement accounts and other income streams are extremely well-suited to providing retirement planning.

Kitces.com | Weekend Reading for Financial Planners

Published: March 25, 2021

The RSSA program includes a module on incorporating Social Security claiming strategies into the overall retirement income plan, and also covers Medicare (and where Medicare claiming overlaps with Social Security claiming strategies), with a particular focus on learning through Case Studies that apply the knowledge to practical sample client scenarios. All built around the recognition that as technology increasingly commoditizes the “basic” elements of financial and retirement planning, the pressure is on financial advisors to up their game and expertise to continue to add more value on top.