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Social Security news
Curated daily from official SSA channels and trusted independent sources. Each item links out to the original.
Articles
Retiring on Social Security: How Far It Goes by State
Social Security replaces only about 40% of a middle earner's income — and the savings gap it leaves swings enormously by state, from cost-of-living 17% below average in Oklahoma to 86% above in Hawaii. Here's a map, the gap math, and how to size your own number.
The Social Security 2100 Act: What It Would Change
House Democrats' flagship bill (H.R. 9519) would boost every check, tie COLAs to seniors' actual costs, create a $1,663 minimum benefit, and cut taxes on benefits — funded by taxing income above $400,000. It's a bill with long odds, not a coming raise. Here's what's actually in it.
Which States Tax Social Security in 2026? Just 8 Left
Only 8 states tax Social Security benefits for 2026 — and every one exempts large groups of retirees. West Virginia's tax ended January 1, completing its phase-out. Here's the state-by-state map, plus the two caveats that matter more than the headline.
Gen X and Social Security: Claiming Into the 2032 Window
The oldest Gen Xers reach full retirement age in 2032 — the same year the trust fund is projected to run short. Surveys show rising anxiety, and fear is pushing some toward a costly claiming mistake. Here's what's actually true under current law and what to do about it.
Can the Stock Market Save Social Security?
Borrow $1.5 trillion, invest it in stocks, let returns fix the shortfall — the idea keeps resurfacing because it promises no visible pain. Independent analyses of the leading proposal found it fully repays its borrowing in at most 36% of simulations. Here's the full picture, explained neutrally.
Workers' Comp and SSDI: New Data and the 80% Rule
A new national report says workers' comp paid $64.1 billion in benefits in 2023 — and if you ever collect workers' comp and SSDI together, a federal rule caps the combined total at 80% of your pre-disability earnings. Here's how the two programs fit together.
Social Security Fast-Tracks 14 More Disability Conditions
SSA added 14 conditions to its Compassionate Allowances list on August 11, 2026, bringing the fast-track disability list to 314 conditions approved in days rather than months. No separate application is needed — here's what was added and how the fast track works.
Sanders' $2,400 Social Security Boost, Explained
The Social Security Expansion Act would add $200 a month to every benefit check, funded by taxing income above $250,000 — and Sanders is pitching it as the alternative to the fast-track PROMISE Act. It's a bill with long odds, not a coming raise. Here's what it would do and who would pay.
The $100,000 Social Security Benefit Cap, Explained
A budget watchdog has proposed capping Social Security benefits at $100,000 a year per couple — but it's a think-tank idea, not a bill, and by its authors' own math it would initially affect only about the top 0.05% of couples. Here's how it would work and where it fits in the solvency debate.
Denied SSDI? The Disability Appeal Process Explained
Most SSDI claims are denied at first — but a denial is the middle of the process, not the end. You have 60 days to appeal, and SSA's own data show the ALJ hearing is where denied claims most often become approvals. Here's each appeal stage and how to strengthen your case.
Survey: Seniors Back Taxes on Young to Save Benefits
89% of Americans 65 and older say current retirees' benefits should be protected even if it means higher taxes on younger workers, a Cato Institute/YouGov survey found — but only 53% of adults under 30 agree. Here's the generational divide behind Social Security's funding debate — and where the parties actually agree.
How Married Couples Can Maximize Social Security
The average married couple gets about $4,000 a month from Social Security — but coordinating when each spouse claims can swing the household's lifetime total by six figures. The key move: have the higher earner delay toward 70. Here's the playbook.
Now You Can Track Your Disability Claim Online
Social Security has added online tools that let disability claimants track their claim status, submit key forms, and get hearing notices through their my Social Security account — real-time visibility for a process that's often a monthslong black box.
Social Security Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them
Social Security will never call, text, or email to threaten you, demand payment, or ask for gift cards — so if someone does, it's a scam. Here are the schemes targeting retirees now, the red flags that give them away, and how to report them.
Do Zero Years Really Hurt Your Social Security?
Worried that years without earnings will wreck your benefit? Zero years only count if you have fewer than 35 years of work — and even then, the hit is usually far smaller than people fear. Here’s what actually happens, and what does more damage.