Where to enter Social Security in AdviserGo
Open the client plan.
Go to (+ ) → Retirement → Social Security.
Choose the Owner (client or spouse/partner) and select a Type:
Currently receiving benefits
Estimate from income
Use monthly statement
Receive Spousal Benefits
Tip: Add a separate Social Security entry for each person (and for spousal-only cases, add one “Receive Spousal Benefits” entry tied to the spouse who will claim as a spouse).
Common fields (appear across most Types)
Owner: Which person the benefit applies to.
Start/Claim Age or Event: When benefits begin (by age or tied to an event on the timeline).
COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment): Annual inflation applied to the benefit. Use the plan default unless you have a reason to override. (Note: This can be adjusted in Plan Settings)
Tax treatment: Social Security is taxed per U.S. rules (up to 85% included in taxable income depending on provisional income). AdviserGo handles this automatically using plan tax settings.
Stop conditions: Benefits automatically end at the owner’s death. Survivor rules are applied to the surviving spouse’s record, not by keeping the decedent’s payment going.
Type 1: Currently receiving benefits
How AdviserGo treats it
Uses the benefit as entered, starting now (or the date you specify).
Continues with COLA increases and taxes per plan settings.
Stops at the owner’s death. Survivor benefits, if applicable, will appear on the surviving spouse’s record (see notes below).
Fields to complete
Monthly benefit amount (today’s dollars): Enter the current gross monthly Social Security amount (before Medicare Part B/D premiums).
COLA: You can leave this at default unless you have a client-specific assumption. This will be located in Plan Settings
Type 2: Estimate from income
How AdviserGo treats it
Estimates the client’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) based on current/assumed earnings and service length, then adjusts for claim age (early-claim reductions or delayed retirement credits).
Applies COLA from the plan assumption.
Fields to complete
Claim age/event: When Social Security will start (e.g., 62, FRA, 70, or a timeline event).
How it Works:
This is an approximation based on the income you enter into your clients profile.
Large changes in pre-retirement income or stopping work early will materially shift the estimate—keep earnings realistic.
For high earners near or above the wage base, make sure the income figure reflects that reality for better estimation.
Type 3: Use monthly statement
How AdviserGo treats it
Takes the statement amount as the basis (usually the FRA amount / PIA) and automatically adjusts up or down for the actual claim age you set in the plan (early reductions or delayed credits).
Fields to complete
SS Start (*) Required: Indicate whether the amount you’re entering is:
Age 62 Benefit (not required): If applicable
Full Retirement Age Benefit (*) Required: When benefits will actually start in the plan.
Age 70 Benefit (not required): If applicable
Child Benefit (not required): If applicable
Spouse Caring Benefit (not required): If applicable
Spouse Retirement Benefit (not required): If applicable
Not all of the fields are required; Only use them based on your clients current situation.
Type 4: Receive Spousal Benefits
How AdviserGo treats it
Calculates up to 50% of the worker-spouse’s PIA (at the spouse’s FRA), reduced if the spouse claims before their own FRA.
Applies deemed filing rules for those born 1954 or later: when a person claims, they’re generally considered to be filing for both their own and spousal benefits, and they receive only the higher of the two (not both).
A spousal benefit cannot begin until the worker-spouse has filed for their own retirement benefit.
Fields to complete
Owner: The person who will receive the spousal benefit.
Claim age/event: When the spousal claimant begins. If the worker spouse hasn’t filed by then, payment will not start until they do.
Indicate own benefit present: If the spousal claimant also has their own Social Security entry, AdviserGo will automatically apply the higher-of rule and reductions.
Where to View Social Security Benefits in AdviserGo
Path: Dashboard → Year View → Cash Flow (or Retirement)
Steps
- From the Dashboard, open Year View and use the year scroll bar to move through the timeline.
- In Cash Flow, view Social Security within the income stack; hover a year’s bar to see totals.
Switch to Retirement to see Social Security alongside other retirement income sources.