Social Security

Social Security planning is one of the most important — and most overlooked — pieces of your retirement strategy. The age you choose to claim your benefits, how you coordinate Social Security with other income sources, and whether you account for taxes and spousal benefits can mean a difference of tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime.

At One Stop Financial Group, Marcel Lashover, RFC®, has spent 40 years helping individuals and families across Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas build Social Security claiming strategies that fit their whole financial picture — not a one-size-fits-all formula.

Why Social Security Planning Matters for Your Retirement

For many retirees, Social Security isn’t just a supplement — it’s the foundation. Social Security benefits are generally designed to replace only a portion of pre-retirement income for the average earner, meaning the rest of your retirement income needs to come from savings, annuities, pensions, or other sources (Source: ssa.gov). Getting your claiming strategy right helps make sure that foundation is as strong as it can be.
A well-built Social Security plan considers:

• • Your full retirement age (FRA) and how claiming early or late changes your benefit
  • Spousal and survivor benefit options
  • How continued work income affects your benefit before FRA
  • How Social Security coordinates with your annuities, retirement accounts, and other income sources

How Social Security Fits Into Your Bigger Retirement Picture

Social Security rarely works alone. The strongest retirement plans coordinate it with:

• Annuities that provide guaranteed income alongside your benefit 
• Tax-Favored Retirement Plans (TFRAs) that can supplement Social Security with tax-advantaged income
• Long-Term Care Insurance that protects savings Social Security wasn’t designed to cover 
• A Retirement Plan Rollover review to make sure old 401(k)s and IRAs are working toward the same goal

If it’s been a while since your last checkup, a Retirement Planning Policy Review can show you exactly where Social Security fits — and where the gaps are.

You worked your whole career to earn this benefit — don’t leave it to guesswork. As an independent RFC® with 40 years of experience and access to 15+ carriers, Marcel Lashover builds Social Security strategies that work with your whole retirement picture, not against it.

Call (504) 300-8207, or click the link below to book your free phone or Zoom consultation today.