News
Social Security news
Curated daily from official SSA channels and trusted independent sources. Each item links out to the original.
Articles
SSA's 50-Million-Record Cleanup: What to Know
The SSA says it corrected nearly 50 million records — about 15% of active Social Security numbers — in its largest-ever database cleanup, adding 17 million death dates and updating citizenship data. It calls this an accuracy project, not a benefits change, and reported no fraud prosecutions. Here's what it means for you.
Can You Collect SSDI and Retirement at Once?
No — SSDI already pays 100% of your full retirement benefit, and it automatically converts to retirement at full retirement age, same amount. You're never paid both. Here's how it works, SSDI's hidden advantage, and the cases people confuse it with.
How Congress Fixed Social Security in 1983
The last time Social Security nearly ran out of money, in 1983, Congress fixed it with a bipartisan deal that raised the retirement age, taxed benefits, and lifted payroll taxes — buying ~50 years. Here's what they did and what it signals for the 2032 shortfall.
Did Congress “Raid” Social Security’s Trust Fund?
No money was stolen. By law, Social Security's surpluses are invested in interest-bearing U.S. Treasury bonds — and that money is being repaid, with interest, right now. Here's how the trust fund actually works, whether it's 'just IOUs,' and what the real problem is.
Social Security COLA Is 3.6% for 2027: What Changes
It's official: Social Security benefits rise 3.6% in 2027 — about $75 more a month for the average retiree, starting in January. Here's how much more you'll get, the other 2027 figures that changed (wage base, earnings limits, SGA), and when you'll see it.
Getting a $90 Check? It’s the Medicare Rebate
A surprise $90 payment from Social Security this month is most likely real — a one-time Medicare rebate to offset your October Part B premium, sent to 20M+ enrollees. Here's who gets it, when, and how to tell it apart from the scams that impersonate it.
Bill: Full Retirement at 60 for Physical Jobs
A new bill, the Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 10608), would let workers in physically demanding jobs — construction, roofing, nursing, manufacturing, HVAC — claim their full benefit at 60 instead of 67. It's a proposal, not law. Here's what it would do.
Audits: SSA Underpaid Some Disabled Beneficiaries
Two new OIG audits found SSA didn't always pay disabled beneficiaries and their families everything they were owed — an estimated $27.9M to families on the retirement family maximum, and $1.2M in disabled-adult-child claims. Here's what to check and how to ask for a review.
Trump Proposes Mandatory Prison for Benefits Fraud
President Trump has called on Congress to set mandatory minimum prison terms for Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security fraud. It's a proposal, not current law, and it doesn't affect honest beneficiaries. Here's what it would do and what the law already is.
Social Security Paper Checks Are Ending: What to Do
Social Security is phasing out paper checks under a 2025 federal order. If you still get a mailed check, you'll need direct deposit or a Direct Express® card to keep getting paid. Here's how to switch, the limited waiver, and the scams to watch for.
Social Security Survivor Benefits: Who Gets What
Survivor benefits pay monthly income to a deceased worker's family — a spouse from age 60, children, sometimes parents. A new bipartisan bill would finally let survivors apply online. Here's who qualifies, how much they get, and how to claim without costly delay.
New Rule for Evaluating Disability in Young Adults
Social Security's new rule, SSR 26-2p, effective October 1, 2026, clarifies how it evaluates disability for young adults (roughly 18–25) — leaning on school, medical, and functional evidence when work history is thin. Here's what changes and how to prepare.
Got a Social Security Overpayment Notice? What to Do
If Social Security says it overpaid you and wants the money back, you can appeal, request a waiver, or ask for a smaller repayment — and a recent audit found many of these notices were flawed. Here are your options and the deadlines that protect you.
What Is SSI? Plus $291M in Unpaid Benefits Found
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based benefit for people who are 65+, blind, or disabled with limited income — and a new audit found SSA failed to pay about $291 million owed to recipients and survivors. Here's what SSI is and how to check if you're owed.
Is SSDI Taxable? The Marriage Penalty, Explained
About a third of disability beneficiaries pay tax on their benefits — and married couples get hit sooner, because the thresholds are lower combined than for two singles and haven't been raised since the 1980s. Here's how SSDI taxation works and why the gap widens every year.