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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
SSDI Back Pay: How Much You're Owed
SSDI back pay is what Social Security owes you for the months between when your disability began and when you're approved — often a five-figure lump sum. It's calculated from your onset date minus a 5-month wait, and can reach up to 17 months before you applied.
Can You Get Disability for Back Pain?
Yes — back and spine conditions are among the most common bases for Social Security disability. But chronic pain alone isn't enough; you need objective medical evidence that it stops you from working, and your age plays a surprisingly large role. Here's how it works.
Can You Get Disability for Depression or Anxiety?
Yes — depression and anxiety are among the most common conditions approved for Social Security disability. But a diagnosis alone isn't enough: you must show the condition seriously limits your ability to function and work. Here's how SSA decides.
What's New in Your my Social Security Account
Social Security has refreshed its free online account with a redesigned retirement calculator that compares up to three claiming ages, a clearer claim-status tracker, and a consistent new design. Here is what changed and how to use it.
Why a Bigger Social Security COLA Can Disappoint
The 2027 cost-of-living adjustment could be one of the largest in years — but a bigger COLA isn't a raise. Medicare premiums, frozen tax thresholds, and inflation itself can quietly claw back much of it. Here's why, and what to watch.
Social Security Cuts by State: The 2032 Numbers
If Congress doesn’t act before the trust fund runs short in 2032, benefits would be cut about 24% across the board — an average of $500 a month. A state-by-state analysis shows cuts ranging from $459 to $556, hitting the oldest states hardest. See your state’s numbers.
Single in Retirement? Why Your Taxes Run Higher
Single, divorced, and widowed retirees often owe more tax on the same income than couples do — because the thresholds that tax Social Security benefits are far lower for one person and haven’t changed since the 1980s. Here’s why aging solo costs more at tax time, and what can soften it.
Could Raising the Payroll Tax Save Social Security?
Raising Social Security’s 12.4% payroll tax is one of the few levers big enough to close its funding gap. The 2026 Trustees Report puts that gap at 4.42% of taxable payroll — meaning the rate would need to reach about 16.8% to fund full benefits for 75 years. Here’s what that would cost.
Does Social Security Pay for Long-Term Care?
No — there’s no dedicated Social Security long-term-care benefit, and Medicare doesn’t cover most long-term care either. Since about 70% of people turning 65 will need care that can cost over $100,000 a year, here’s who actually pays.
SSDI and Medicare: How the 24-Month Wait Really Works
Medicare doesn’t start when your SSDI is approved — it starts 24 months after your benefits are dated to begin. Because a disability claim is backdated to when you became disabled, a slow decision or a won appeal can mean much of that wait is already behind you.
The Maximum Social Security Benefit in 2026, by Age
The most anyone can collect in 2026 ranges from $2,969 a month at 62 to $5,181 at 70 — but almost no one qualifies. Here are the maximums by claiming age, who actually gets them, and why the average check is far smaller.
Does Waiting Until 70 to Claim Social Security Pay Off?
Waiting until 70 gives you the biggest possible check — about 24% more than at full retirement age. But whether it “pays off” depends on how long you live, whether you need the income, and (for couples) the survivor benefit. Here’s how to think it through.
Spousal Social Security Benefits in 2026: 3 Key Rules
A spousal benefit can be worth up to half of your husband’s or wife’s full benefit — but three rules trip people up. Here’s how much you can get, when you can claim, and the “deemed filing” rule that decides for you.
Why Retirees Lean on Social Security More Than IRAs
For most retirees, Social Security — not an IRA or 401(k) — is the financial backbone of retirement. SSA’s own data shows why, and what it means for planning your own income.
Two Bipartisan Plans to Fix Social Security
Two new bipartisan proposals to shore up Social Security are getting attention: one would lift the cap on wages subject to the payroll tax, the other would borrow $1.5 trillion to invest in the markets. Neither is law. Here’s what each would do — and the criticism each faces.