Social Security & RMD Guidance

After decades of contributing to Social Security and building your retirement accounts, you deserve clear guidance on how to maximize these important income sources.

Navigating the complex rules around Social Security benefits and Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) can feel overwhelming. Most people don't realize that Social Security claiming decisions are often irreversible, and the difference between optimal and sub-optimal strategies can amount to tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime.



Similarly, RMDs—mandatory withdrawals from retirement accounts after age 73—require careful planning to minimize tax impact and integrate effectively with your other income sources.

The decisions you make about Social Security benefits and RMDs can have lasting impacts throughout your retirement. Our approach focuses on clarity and personalized analysis:



Social Security Claiming Strategy: When to take Social Security is rarely a simple answer. We analyze your specific situation—considering factors like your health, family longevity, spouse's benefits, and other income sources—to identify the optimal claiming strategy for your unique circumstances. For married couples, coordinated claiming strategies can be particularly valuable.

RMD Planning & Management: When you reach age 73, the IRS requires you to take Required Minimum Distributions from most retirement accounts. Many clients are surprised by how these mandatory withdrawals can disrupt their tax planning. We help you understand these complex rules, prepare for the impact, and implement strategies that may help minimize the tax consequences of these distributions.

Tax-Efficient Withdrawal Sequencing: Having different types of accounts—IRAs, Roth accounts, taxable investments—creates opportunities to strategically coordinate your Social Security benefits with withdrawals from the right accounts at the right time. Our team works with our in-house CPA to develop a customized withdrawal plan that can potentially reduce your overall tax burden throughout retirement.

Income Gap Analysis: We help you understand exactly how much income Social Security will provide and how RMDs will affect your cash flow, then develop strategies to fill any gaps with your other retirement savings. For many retirees, this clarity removes significant stress about outliving their money.

Social Security and RMD decisions don't exist in isolation—they need to work harmoniously with your overall retirement strategy. Here's where our approach differs from many advisors:



Tax Coordination: Social Security benefits can be taxed at up to 85% depending on your other income, and RMDs are fully taxable as ordinary income. We help structure your retirement income to potentially minimize this tax impact, often resulting in thousands more in spendable income.

Charitable Giving Strategies: For charitably inclined clients, we can help implement Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs, which satisfy RMD requirements while excluding those amounts from taxable income—a powerful tax-saving strategy.

Survivor Benefit Planning: We help married couples understand how Social Security survivor benefits work and how to maximize protection for the surviving spouse, while also considering how RMDs will affect the surviving spouse's tax situation.

Many clients tell us that the peace of mind from having a clear strategy for these critical income sources is invaluable. They no longer lose sleep wondering if they're making the right choices about these important aspects of retirement planning.

When it comes to navigating Social Security benefits and RMDs, Leonard Financial Solutions offers distinct advantages:

Specialized Knowledge: Social Security rules are complex, with over 500 possible claiming combinations for married couples. RMD regulations have changed multiple times in recent years. Our team stays current on these ever-changing rules to provide you with accurate, up-to-date guidance.

Coordinated Planning: Unlike specialists who focus only on Social Security in isolation, we integrate these decisions with RMD planning and your overall retirement strategy, considering tax implications, income needs, and estate planning goals.

Fiduciary Guidance: As fiduciaries, we're legally obligated to recommend what's best for your specific situation—not what earns us the highest commission. This objective advice is particularly valuable when making decisions that will affect your income for decades.



Regular Reviews: Benefit options and regulations change frequently. Our ongoing relationship includes regular reviews to ensure your Social Security and RMD strategies remain optimal as your situation evolves and rules change.

While Jonathan is based in Moorestown, Leonard Financial Solutions proudly offers comprehensive Social Security and RMD guidance across the state and nationwide, ensuring clients throughout the United States can access top-tier benefit planning.

Planning for Social Security and RMDs shouldn't be daunting. We've created a straightforward process to help you take control of these important decisions:

Schedule a No-Cost Conversation: It all begins with a friendly discussion—either in our Moorestown office or virtually from the comfort of your home. We'll discuss your retirement timeline, income needs, and concerns to get a complete picture of your situation.

Personalized Analysis: Our team will analyze your specific circumstances and provide clear recommendations about when to claim Social Security, how to prepare for and manage RMDs, and how to coordinate these income sources for maximum efficiency.

Implementation Support: Making the right decisions is only part of the equation—you also need to implement them correctly. We'll guide you through the often-confusing paperwork and processes to ensure everything is handled properly and on time.



Many clients tell us they wished they'd sought professional guidance sooner, as the financial impact of optimized Social Security and RMD decisions can be substantial over the course of retirement.