Trust Financial Wellness
Social Security is a decision, not a form.
Get educated before you file. Tom Murphy, a Registered Social Security Analyst and college finance instructor, teaches pre-retirees how to think through their claiming strategy, not sell them one.
Fifteen years in front of a classroom, now in your corner.
I'm a dedicated educator with a passion for helping people build lasting financial wellness at every stage of life. As a Registered Social Security Analyst, I specialize in teaching pre-retirees how to make informed decisions about Social Security claiming strategies so they can optimize their retirement income and enjoy greater peace of mind. My approach is principle-centered: education, clarity, long-term thinking, and practical knowledge.
I also serve as an Accounting and Finance instructor at local colleges in St. Petersburg, Florida, where I give students the same foundational knowledge I bring to clients nearing retirement. Whether in the classroom or working one-on-one, my goal is the same: clear, empowering, and trustworthy financial education.
Important note: all of my work is strictly educational. I do not provide legal, tax, investment, or personalized financial advice.
Credentials
- Registered Social Security Analyst (RSSA)
- MBA, Finance, Rollins College (Crummer Graduate School of Business)
- B.S., Business Management and Applied Economics, Cornell University
- Florida 2-15 License, Resident Health and Life Agent
- 15 years teaching Personal Finance, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, and Financial Management at colleges in St. Petersburg, FL
Social Security optimization
Using RSSA Roadmap software, I build a custom report covering the decisions that actually move your retirement income:
- Optimal claiming age strategy
- Spousal coordination
- Survivor impact modeling
- Break-even analysis
- Impact of working while claiming
- Divorce scenarios (10+ year rule)
What else factors into the decision
Social Security rarely stands alone. I also help individuals and couples understand how these topics interact with a claiming strategy:
- Medicare IRMAA impacts
- Income-based surcharges for Medicare Part B and Part D premiums.
- Roth conversions
- Impact on income taxes, IRMAA, and taxation of non-spouse heirs.
- Account withdrawal sequence
- What order should you withdraw money from during retirement?
- Sequence of withdrawal risk
- How market timing early in retirement can compound losses.
- Retirement budgeting and risk assessment
- Sizing a realistic budget against your actual risk tolerance.
- Emergency funds
- How much to hold, and where to hold it, in retirement.
- RMD forecasting
- Impact on income taxes and IRMAA as required distributions begin.
- Surviving spouse tax bracket impact
- Income reduction planning for the transition to single filer status.
- ACA subsidy cliffs
- Pre-Medicare healthcare expenses and options to defer income.
- Long-term care planning
- Self-funding versus long-term care insurance.
What guides this practice
To make trustworthy financial guidance and financial literacy accessible to people from all financial backgrounds, while building lasting relationships rooted in integrity, transparency, and genuine care.
Trust
Building relationships through honesty, integrity, and reliability.
Transparency
Clearly communicating recommendations, compensation, and expectations.
Education
Improving financial literacy so clients can make informed decisions.
Accessibility
Serving people from all financial backgrounds without unnecessary barriers.
Wellness
Supporting long-term confidence and peace of mind.
Service
Helping others first, with relationships valued above transactions.
There's a teacher, not a salesman, behind this advice.
A short conversation could meaningfully change your outcome. Booking is free, and there's no obligation to become a client.