Sep 28, 2026 · 29 min
Protect Social Security records and rethink inflation risk
09.28.26 TIPS Vs Bonds / How To Protect Your Social Security Now
The episode connects a basic account-security step with a more nuanced retirement question: how to protect savings when inflation erodes traditional bond holdings.
- 1Creating a free My Social Security account can help people of every age protect their records from criminal takeover.
- 2TIPS may offer investors nearing retirement a way to reduce inflation risk without relying as heavily on stocks.
- 3AI can assist with portfolio research, but investors should retain control rather than allow autonomous trading decisions.
Don't miss
Clark’s clearest warning is that people of every age should create a My Social Security account before criminals can hijack their records.
The brief
Clark Howard frames the episode around two retirement risks: inflation weakening savings and criminals interfering with Social Security records. His proposed defenses are practical rather than speculative.
For investors nearing retirement, Clark presents Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities as a possible alternative to traditional bond funds when reducing inflation exposure matters more than chasing stock-market growth.
The most urgent advice applies across generations: create a free My Social Security account so records are protected and future benefit claims are harder for criminals to disrupt.
Listener questions broaden the discussion to financial aggregators, AI portfolio tools, digital driver’s licenses, and automaker subscriptions, with Clark repeatedly emphasizing security and personal judgment.
The episode closes with consumer tactics: report mandatory Costco dealer add-ons, ask hotels directly for flexibility, and treat recurring vehicle fees with skepticism.
Books & mentions
MaximizeMySocialSecurity.com
The episode discusses it as a tool for evaluating when to claim benefits.
Clark.com
It offers related consumer-finance guidance and money-saving advice.