Helping Nervous Clients Understand And Financially Plan For The (True) State Of The Social Security System
In this webinar, Adam Van Deusen, CFP®, examines data from the Social Security Board of Trustees’ Annual Report to clarify common misconceptions about the system’s financial health. He reviews a range of potential policy options under consideration to strengthen Social Security for the remainder of the century and discusses how financial advisors can evaluate the impact of these proposals for clients at all stages – working age, near retirement, and already retired. Additionally, Adam explores how advisors can adjust financial planning assumptions to model various scenarios, helping clients better understand how potential policy changes could affect their retirement. Advisors will learn how to:
- Understand the mechanics of how the Social Security trust fund operates.
- Explain the projected trajectory of the trust fund and the factors influencing its future.
- Recognize how clients’ Social Security benefits would be expected to change if the trust fund is exhausted.
- Identify potential policy options, including changes to taxes and benefits that Congress may consider, to place Social Security on a more sustainable path.

Adam Van Deusen, CFP®
Adam Van Deusen, CFP®, is a Financial Planning Nerd at Kitces.com, where he writes on practice management and technical topics for the Nerd's Eye View blog, with a particular interest in how advisors can show their ongoing value to prospective and current clients. In addition, he writes the popular weekly “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” article and hosts live events on the Kitces platform. His work has appeared in the Investments & Wealth Monitor, Citywire RIA, and TheStreet, among other publications.