By Beau Henderson, with Marc Kiner
The step-by-step path
to your Social Security decision.
If you are within a few years of filing, this is the plain-language guide to getting the decision right the first time. It covers when to claim, how spousal and survivor benefits work together for your household, what the earnings test costs you if you keep working, and where the IRS takes a second bite out of your benefit.
Prefer to hold it? Buy the hardcover on Amazon
Who it's for
Written for the people
who only get to file once.
You're within 5 years of filing
And you don't want to leave tens of thousands of dollars on the table because of a rule no one explained.
You're already collecting
The decision is made, but you want to confirm the setup, plan for survivor benefits, and avoid the tax-torpedo years.
You advise people who are
Advisors and CPAs use this book as a working reference, complete with tables, scenarios, and a household checklist.
Inside the Book
Every meaningful decision, in the order you'll face it.
Each chapter is a short, focused look at one decision, what the rule says, where households lose money, and a one-page worksheet to pin down your answer.
- When to File
- Spousal & Survivor
- Working in Retirement
- Taxes on Benefits
- The Fairness Act
- Your Decision Tree
When to File
The breakeven math in plain language, no calculator required.
Spousal & Survivor
How the two benefits stack, conflict, and compound.
Working in Retirement
What the earnings test actually costs, and when it gives it back.
Taxes on Benefits
Where the IRS shows up for a second bite, and how to soften it.
The Fairness Act
What changed in 2025 for teachers, firefighters, and public employees.
Your Decision Tree
One clear path through the rules, for your exact household.
Plus, throughout the book
Filing tables · Scenario walkthroughs · A household checklist
"Most people don't lose Social Security money to bad luck. They lose it to a form they signed before they knew what it meant."
From Chapter 1
About the Authors
Beau Henderson is the 2020 National Social Security Advisor of the Year. Marc Kiner co-founded the NSSA itself.
Beau is the founder of RichLife Advisors, host of The RichLife Retirement Show, and the author of books on the financial and human side of retirement. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and CNBC.
Across more than 4,000 households served, one pattern keeps repeating: the families who file well started with the rules, not the rumors. Social Security Clarity is the book Beau and Marc wrote for them.
Common Questions
Before you click send.
Which edition will I receive?+
The displayed cover is the 2025 edition. Digital delivery is not available yet, and the manuscript edition must be confirmed before delivery begins.
I'm already collecting. Is this book still for me?+
Yes. The book covers survivor planning, the earnings test, and how Social Security fits with your other retirement income.
Do I need to read the whole thing?+
No. You can start with the questions that apply to your household, then read the chapters that address those decisions.
Wait, the whole book is free?+
The digital edition is intended to be free. Email delivery is not available yet; the form does not currently save your email or send a book.
Start Reading
Read it this weekend.
If it doesn't change how you think about your filing decision, you've lost an email, that's it.