Claim Check
Social Security at 62, 67 or 70. Type in three numbers from your statement and see each check, the break-even age, the running totals at 80, 85 and 90, and what a surviving spouse would live on.
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Money decisions after 50. Real cases. Real numbers.
Honest Cents follows a fictional couple through one big money decision at a time: when to claim Social Security, whether to pay off the house, whether to convert a 401(k) to a Roth. We test every option, show the source of every figure, and give a clear verdict. Then you can test your own numbers for free.
- Source shown for every number
- Nothing to sell you
- Calculators run on your device
Latest
Case Files
One real decision per video, about 25 minutes each. Press play, or read the case notes and the verdict first.
How a Case File works
The same steps, every time
So you always know what you are getting.
A real question
Something people over 50 actually argue about at the kitchen table.
Everyone has advice
We test the popular answer first, the way a sister or a friend would give it.
The numbers
Taxes, Medicare, Social Security and cash in one picture.
The receipts
Every figure with its source, so you can check it yourself.
The verdict
A clear answer for the couple's facts, and what would change it.
Free tools
Test your own numbers
Each Case File comes with a calculator. It runs on your device. Nothing you type leaves it.
Payoff or Keep It
Should you pay off the mortgage? Compare the lump sum, the paycheck plan and keeping the loan, with tax, interest saved, Medicare surcharge and your cash cushion.
Roth Check
Before you convert to a Roth. See the tax, the bracket, the Medicare line, whether your cash can pay it, and what a small, a middle and a full conversion each cost.
Start with your question
What are you trying to figure out?
Pick the one that sounds like your kitchen table. Each guide is plain English, with sources and a free calculator.
Should I claim Social Security at 62?
When to claim Social Security →What happens to the check when one of us dies?
Survivor benefits →Is my Social Security taxed?
Is Social Security taxed? →Should I convert my 401(k) to a Roth?
Roth conversions →Why did Medicare charge me extra?
Medicare surcharge (IRMAA) →Should I pay off the mortgage?
Pay off the mortgage? →Why trust this
Receipts, not opinions
Every number has a source
IRS, Social Security and Medicare pages, linked on screen and in writing.
Checked a second way
We recompute each figure independently before publishing, and we list what the model leaves out.
No product to push
We do not manage money or sell investments. If that ever changes, we will say so, on the page, in plain words.
Questions
Good to know
Is this financial advice?
No. Honest Cents is educational. We show how the rules work and what the numbers say for a fictional couple. We are not a registered investment adviser, and we do not know your whole situation. Check anything important with a qualified professional.
Who are Linda and Tom?
They are fictional. Linda is 61 and Tom is 63. Their numbers are examples we chose, so we can show a decision from start to finish. A verdict is for their facts, not yours. That is why every Case File comes with a tool for your own numbers.
Are the calculators private?
Yes. They run inside your own browser. What you type is never sent to us, because the site has no place to receive it. There is no account to make.
Where do the numbers come from?
From official sources such as the IRS, the Social Security Administration and Medicare. Each video shows its sources on screen, each guide lists them, and our sources page gathers the 2026 figures in one table.
Is the voice or are the pictures real?
The narration is a synthetic voice and the illustrations are made with AI tools. The characters are fictional. The research and numbers are checked against official sources. We say so on every video and on the About page.
Is everything free?
Everything on this site is free to use today. If we ever add anything paid, such as an advanced toolkit, it will be clearly labelled before you click.