Although Social Security plays a major role in retirement planning, the various complexities and nuances of Social Security are not well understood. On September 20, we hosted a webinar to provide answers to the most commonly-asked questions about Social Security.

Hosted by XML Senior Wealth Advisor Lauren O’Brien, CFP®, CPA, this webinar gave viewers a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Social Security. Tyler J. De Haan, MPA, MS, CFP®, ChFC®, Director of the Knowledge Hub at Principal Global Investors, joined Lauren to answer frequently-asked Social Security questions such as the following:

• How do I maximize my Social Security benefits?
• What is the Earnings Test and how does it work?
• Can I take a spousal benefit and defer my own benefit until later?
• Will Social Security still be an option when my kids reach retirement age?

Lauren O’Brien, CFP®, CPA

Lauren O’Brien, CFP®, CPA, is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, committed to partnering with her clients and using thorough financial planning to create a roadmap for their life journeys. She believes in building clients’ confidence in their financial decisions, and she is a strong proponent of ongoing financial literacy and education. Lauren’s journey has afforded her opportunities to work in three continents with several prestigious firms, including Wells Fargo Advisors, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Deloitte. Fully bitten by the travel bug, she continues to enjoy travel, both locally and globally.

Lauren is proud of her commitment to her community. She lives in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, where she has been involved in various leadership roles and also founded Alexandria’s first exclusively community-focused TEDx program dedicated to the TED mission – ideas worth spreading – in the local community. She is active with her local alumnae community for her alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, focusing on programs that encourage empowerment and leadership development. She currently sits on the Financial Planning & Wealth Management advisory board at George Mason University to help develop the future advisors of the profession.

Tyler J. De Haan, MPA, MS, CFP®, ChFC®

Tyler J. De Haan, MPA, MS, CFP®, ChFC® is the Director of the Knowledge Hub at Principal Global Investors, where he is responsible for developing educational content and speaking to a wide variety of audiences on advance financial planning concepts and behavioral strategies. Tyler entered the Financial Service industry in 2004 and joined the Principal Financial Group in 2005.

Tyler received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa and his Master’s in Public Administration from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and received his Master of Science Degree Personal Financial Planning from the College of Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado. Tyler has been featured on several webcasts from the Principal Financial Group on topics such as Social Security, Medicare, Taxation and Retirement Income Strategies. Tyler was also named by the Des Moines Business Record “40 under 40” and was a finalist for the Des Moines Young Professional’s Young Professional of the Year award. Tyler also received the Alumni of the Year Award presented by the Waukee Leadership Institute for his service to the community.

*This webinar is for educational and informational purposes only. Content is not intended to be a recommendation or solicitation for the sale or investment in any product, strategy or service nor should it be perceived as individual advice.