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The 2027 Social Security COLA Forecast Is Shrinking: What It Means for Your Monthly Check
A smaller Social Security COLA could leave retirees with less room in their 2027 budgets.
08-27-2026
How to Manage Your HSA With Medicare
Enrolling in Medicare can trigger costly mistakes with a health savings account if you don’t plan ahead.
08-21-2026
This November, Full Retirement Age Officially Hits 67, Completing a Transition Begun in 1983
What is your full retirement age if you were born in 1960, and what does claiming early really cost?
08-11-2026
Regret Claiming Social Security Early? You Have Options for Bigger Checks
Question: I claimed Social Security six months ago at age 62, but my checks are too small. Is there anything I can do?
08-3-2026
Social Security’s Caregiver Gap
Caregiving can come at a retirement cost, but smart planning may help protect your future Social Security benefits.
08-1-2026
Latest
Privatizing Social Security is Not the Answer
The current plans that promise to save Social Security aren't capable of keeping that promise.
11-11-2026
Helping a Friend or Relative With Social Security
"Power of attorney" is essentially a meaningless designation for Social Security purposes.
11-4-2026
More Social Security Reform Proposals
There are many ideas for reforming Social Security that will keep the system solvent for generations to come.
10-28-2026
Social Security COLA for 2027
I always dread mentioning COLAs in this column, because every single time I do, I am flooded with emails from readers.
10-21-2026
Social Security and Politics
Never make a decision about when to start your Social Security benefits based on politics.
10-14-2026
The Most Insignificant Social Security Benefit
The benefit was never meant to stick around.
09-30-2026
Repeat After Me: ‘SSI and Social Security Are Not the Same Thing!’
Many people confuse SSI with Social Security for a variety of reasons.
09-23-2026
Bad Husbands and Social Security
I get more than a few emails from women asking me a Social Security question that involves being married to a jerk.
09-16-2026
Meet Tom, Dick, and Harry
No one really knows when the best time is to start their Social Security.
09-9-2026
Social Security Fast Facts and Figures
There were 68,456,000 people getting Social Security benefits in December 2024.
08-26-2026
Disability Means Inability to Work
The only thing that matters is whether or not a person meets the legal definition of disability for Social Security purposes.
08-19-2026
Misinformation From the Next Booth Over
If your life has been fairly straightforward, Social Security will be fairly straightforward for you, too.
08-12-2026
There Is a Reason for the Rules
The rules of Social Security are not made to inconvenience you.
08-5-2026
No Secret Code on Social Security Cards
Separating fact from fiction about your Social Security.
07-29-2026
The Social Security ‘Grandma’s’ Check for Dependents
If you're raising a grandchild, they could qualify for Social Security benefits based on your work record—but only under specific rules.
07-28-2026
Working Women Versus Stay-at-Home Moms—the Argument Continues
Some working women find it unfair that they get smaller checks than women who didn't work.
07-22-2026
Claimed Too Early? A Social Security Do-Over Most People Miss
If you've claimed Social Security early, you may still have options to boost your future benefits.
07-18-2026
Grocery Clerks, Managers, and Maytags
SSA representatives are trained to handle the matters we present to them.
07-15-2026
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Some people must lie awake nights and worry that they might make a decision they think will cost them thousands of dollars in lost benefits.
07-8-2026
Government Health Care: A Before and After Story
Many Americans love all the benefits provided by Social Security and Medicare, as long as they don't have to pay too much for them.
07-1-2026