PLYMOUTH, MA… Marcia Mantell, nationally-known speaker, author, and retirement planning guru has just released her fifth book entitled Social Security: Lightly Toasted, Not Burnt which is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.
“Social Security is not going bankrupt; it is not a scheme nor is it on the brink of collapse,” explained Mantell. “Sure, solutions are needed to guarantee that 100 percent of benefits are paid to eligible retirees. But only Congress can change the law to secure this vital 90-year-old program and as history has demonstrated, they will likely wait until the last moment to act.”
Yet, Funding for Social Security and Medicare over the next five years will shape the retirements of most Americans. And they are concerned about money running out. What they fail to understand is that the issue is with the reserve account – the savings account side of the Social Security Trust Fund. Since 2021, this “rainy day” account has been tapped to pay full benefits to retirees.
“Congress knew more than 20 years ago that this would be the situation,” Mantell noted. “It’s not new or particularly newsworthy, but it is making near-retirees extremely anxious. Too many of them are now claiming benefits early, locking in significantly reduced monthly income. That decision will come back to haunt them in their 80s and 90s.”
To help put hard-working Americans at ease, Mantell’s Social Security: Lightly Toasted, Not Burnt covers in depth a number of critical elements in an easy-to-digest manner. Readers will be able to:
- Learn how benefits are calculated.
- Evaluate their options based on marital status.
- See how their claiming decisions impact their financial picture.
- Understand how taxes, work, and Medicare premiums lower their monthly payments.
According to Mantell, “Many are worried about Social Security and wondering what they should do today. Think of the program as lightly toasted, but not burnt to a crisp. For most, they only get one chance to claim their Social Security benefits. Then, they’re stuck living with that decision for the next few decades, well into their 80s and 90s. It is imperative that you learn as much as you can and take your time to figure out your best claiming strategy.”
In the past two decades, Mantell has brought an impressive amount of retirement, Social Security, and Medicare knowledge to the financial industry and directly to future retirees through their employers or in partnership with financial advisors.
Mantell also reaches future retirees through her easy-to-follow “recipe-style” books, which offer up all the “ingredients” for a successful transition into retirement years.
Along with her latest book, Mantell authored other must-read books (available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble) written for everyone who wants to retire. Her lively how-to discussion guide and workbook, Cookin’ Up Your Retirement Plan, was featured in the Wall Street Journal article, “5 Books to Help You Build a Bigger Nest Egg” (July 2025). Her other titles include What’s the Deal with Retirement Planning for Women and Creating Your Medicare Recipe. (What’s the Deal with Social Security for Women has been retired. It became outdated with recent changes to the Social Security law.)
Social Security: Lightly Toasted, Not Burnt retails for $16.99 and is available for purchase in
Amazon.com books and Barnesandnoble.com. An eBook version is also available.
About Marcia Mantell
Marcia Mantell is a nationally-known keynote speaker, author, retirement planning guru and Baby Boomer. For over 30 years, Marcia Mantell has helped the country’s foremost financial services firms and advisors increase their knowledge of complex retirement concepts and regulations. She has a remarkable ability to translate those concepts into everyday language that educates and motivates real people to take the right steps to achieve the retirement they desire. Mantell has been named an IA25 Honoree by ThinkAdvisor—one of the “advisors, experts and leaders in financial services who are pushing the industry forward.”
As the founder of Mantell Retirement Consulting, Mantell regularly partners with financial institutions in the U.S. and Canada to help support the customers they serve across the retirement spectrum—from a focus on saving, to the transition into retirement, and then, how to organize and manage income to last a lifetime.
Mantell holds Retirement Management Advisor (RMA®) designation and National Social Security Advisor® (NSSA) certification. She serves as Chair of the RMA Commission and teaches Social Security and Medicare to financial advisors. She is renowned for “translating” Social Security and Medicare rules and complex retirement topics into language that consumers can understand. Over the years, Mantell has developed innovative retirement income planning workshops for advisors, and comprehensive retirement education programs for plan participants and consumers at all levels of wealth.
Those looking to learn more about Mantell Retirement Consulting may turn to ThinkAdvisor’s profile for the company’s 20th anniversary: https://thinkadvisor.com/2025/07/16/marcia-mantell-has-never-been-this-worried-about-social-security/
For additional background on Marcia Mantell and her work with Mantell Retirement Consulting, visit https://mantellretirementconsulting.com/.










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