If you're an Orange County retiree with $250K+ in retirement savings, four decisions will shape the next 30 years of your financial life more than any product purchase ever will: when to claim Social Security, how much to convert to Roth (and when), how to stay below the IRMAA Medicare cliffs, and how to lock in guaranteed monthly income that doesn't depend on the stock market.
The Retirement Literacy Foundation runs free workshops across Orange County and publishes free calculators for exactly these decisions. Founder Hans Goldstein lives in Huntington Beach and always starts with the math. RLF is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit, and all workshops, articles, and tools are free.
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You’re reading “Retirement planning for Orange County retirees: by someone who lives here”. We’ll email you our plain-English guide to Social Security (the taxable-benefit thresholds, the survivor-benefit trap and the claiming-age math), plus an invite to the next free class. Free public education from a 501(c)(3); there is nothing to buy.
The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 41-5062266).
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Free retirement workshops in Orange County
RLF runs live in-person workshops at libraries across OC focused on Social Security claiming, Roth conversion strategy, and Medicare IRMAA brackets. 90 minutes. No products, no pitch. Same math you'd pay an advisor to walk you through, for free.
Past OC workshop venues
Huntington Beach Central Library · 7111 Talbert Avenue, Huntington Beach 92648
"Social Security & Tax" workshop · May 30, 2026
Mission Viejo Library · 100 Civic Center, Mission Viejo 92691
"Social Security & Tax" workshop · April 14, 2026
Laguna Niguel Library area · "Social Security & Tax" workshop · May 12, 2026
Yorba Linda Library · "Social Security & Tax" workshop · July 11, 2026
→ See upcoming workshop dates and reserve a seat
What we cover for Orange County retirees specifically
Orange County retirees face a particular mix of issues: high California property values create both wealth (home equity) and tax exposure (when sold); high prevailing income drives many retirees into the upper IRMAA brackets without warning; and the long-life-expectancy demographic profile means sequence-of-returns risk is unusually consequential.
- Roth conversion strategy in a high-property-value state: California retirees often have meaningful home equity that will eventually be liquidated. The class shows why a Roth conversion and a home sale in the same year stack on top of each other, and how to see that before you act.
- IRMAA management for higher-income retirees: Orange County retiree households with $200K+ taxable income are routinely in the IRMAA cliff zone. The 2-year lookback rule means today's Roth conversion changes your 2028 Medicare premiums. The free IRMAA calculator shows how close you are to the next line.
- Social Security claiming for couples: the difference between optimal and suboptimal claiming for a married OC couple is often $200,000-$400,000 in lifetime benefits, especially when survivor benefits and the deceased-spouse step-up are factored in.
- Capital gains coordination on home sales: for retirees selling appreciated real estate (and many OC retirees will), the federal $500K married exclusion isn't enough. The class covers the legal options for the part over the exclusion, including an installment sale.
- Guaranteed income floor planning: how Social Security timing, pensions and a Treasury or CD ladder can cover essentials, leaving the rest of your portfolio invested for growth and discretionary spending.
Free calculators for OC retirees
Every tool below was built and is maintained by RLF. Free to use:
Frequently asked: Orange County retirees
Are the classes only in Huntington Beach?
No. Past classes were held in Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Yorba Linda and Irvine, and the current classes are live on Zoom, so you can join from anywhere in California. Every class is free and nothing is sold.
What if I'm already working with another advisor?
The workshops and calculators are educational, so they're useful regardless of who you work with. Many attendees walk in with an existing advisor and walk out with better questions to ask. RLF does not manage money or sell anything, so there is nothing to switch.
Free retirement education in Orange County
The Retirement Literacy Foundation offers free workshops, guides, and calculators for Orange County retirees. No products and no sales, just plain-English education.
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