PERHAPS THE BIGGEST retirement decision that anyone makes is when to obtain their Social Security benefits. Loan officers who understand that daunting process might be in a better position to advise potential reverse mortgage clients on how their products might work in an overall retirement plan. For Martha Shedden, the intricacies of Social Security and how it fits into financial plans have become a passion. Shedden is president and co-founder of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts (NARSSA), which provides tax, financial and other retirement professionals with the knowledge and analytical skills they need to better serve their clients as they ponder how to maximize the government program. A financial planner initially introduced Shedden, whose first career was civil engineering, to the overall topic of Social Security planning in 2011. “I immediately became quite obsessed about it because I was shocked at how much I didn’t know,” Shedden says. “Everyone—and I mean everyone—is affected by Social Security, and so I just dove into it.” She initially earned her Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation. Eventually, she started Shedden Social Security and Retirement Planning before co-founding NARSSA with Michael Rosedale, a certified public accountant (CPA). Created in 2017, NARSSA offers an accreditation—Registered Social Security Analyst (RSSA)—that professionals, such as financial planners, accountants and reverse mortgage loan officers, can obtain after undergoing rigorous training through the organization. “The education and software training program is for all sorts of retirement professionals, including reverse mortgage professionals, so they can help their clients or any prospects with Social Security planning,” she says, adding that RSSAs provide a service and do not sell products. “It’s purely educational.” Removing the Mysteries Behind Social Security Martha Shedden Created a Career Out of Deciphering the Intricacies of the Retirement Program By Thomas A. Barstow Martha Shedden Removing the Mysteries continued on page 28 REVERSE MORTGAGE /MAY-JUNE 2024 27
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