Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images The new 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment doesn’t just increase Social Security checks, starting with January payments — it also boosts thresholds related to the maximum retirement benefit. The maximum Social Security benefit for workers who claim at full retirement age will increase to $4,152 per month in 2026, up…
Even as a record number of Americans are reaching retirement age, many adults have not considered the impact that inflation and Social Security benefits will have on their financial future. A new global survey by Prudential found 89% of wealthy U.S. adults polled said they are confident they’d be able to cover essential costs in…
Jasondoiy | E+ | Getty Images The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment will be 2.8% in 2026, the Social Security Administration said on Friday. Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month on average starting in January, according to the agency. The COLA provides an annual adjustment to both Social Security and Supplemental…
Morsa Images | Digitalvision | Getty Images Medicare open enrollment kicked off on Oct. 15, with one notable difference for beneficiaries who are considering updating their health insurance plans — the federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1. Updates related to Medicare open enrollment — which runs through Dec. 7 — will continue…
Brothers91 | E+ | Getty Images Deciding when to claim Social Security retirement benefits is a big decision — and Congress is looking at changing the program’s wording to help people better understand their options. Understanding the trade-offs for claiming at different ages can be confusing, and some experts say the terms the agency currently…
A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, DC, March 26, 2025. Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” provides relief to certain Social Security beneficiaries who pay taxes on their benefits. But it doesn’t eliminate those levies entirely. Now, Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, introduced a bill on Thursday…
Alistair Berg | Digitalvision | Getty Images While you may hope to step out of the workforce sooner rather than later, it’s easier said than done, experts say. On average, surveyed Americans, asked “What age should you be” for retirement, said 58, according to a recent report by Empower, which polled 1,001 adults on June…
People shop at a supermarket in Rockville, Maryland, on July 18, 2025. Sha Hanting | China News Service | VCG | Getty Images Social Security beneficiaries may see a 2.7% cost-of-living adjustment in 2026, according to new estimates from policy experts, based on the latest government inflation data. That projected increase would be higher than…
M Swiet Productions | Getty Images Eligibility for Social Security retirement benefits starts at age 62. But for prospective beneficiaries who can wait, the biggest benefit becomes available at age 70. For many retirees, that poses a dilemma — how to fund those interim years while they wait to claim that highest monthly benefit check….
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Asheville, N.C., Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. Matt Rourke | AP The Social Security Administration sent what experts say is a misleading email to consumers last week, describing President Donald Trump‘s “one big beautiful bill” as “long-awaited tax relief to millions of older…
