Episode 250: Applying for Social Security and Medicare with Marcia Mantell

People turning 65 have a lot of important decisions to make. Do they apply for Social Security, or do they wait until they're older? When do they apply for Medicare, what are the differences between A, B, C, and D, and which ones are right for them? To answer these questions, I talked with Retirement Management Advisor Marcia Mantell to provide some guidance to those having to make those decisions. In this episode you will learn: When to start the Social Security and Medicare application process — and why missing the window can cost you The most common and costly mistakes people make when applying, and how to avoid them How to decide when to claim Social Security, including the real trade-offs between claiming early and waiting How Medicare enrollment works — Parts A, B, C, and D — and what the timeline actually looks like What happens if you miss a Medicare deadline, and whether the penalties are as serious as people fear How Social Security works for married couples and what strategies exist to maximize lifetime benefits for both spouses What to do if you've already claimed and wonder if you made the wrong call