News
Social Security news
Curated daily from official SSA channels and trusted independent sources. Each item links out to the original.
Articles
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.
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.
A New Bill Would Repeal Social Security’s Earnings Test
A bill in Congress would scrap the rule that withholds benefits from people who claim early and keep working. It’s not law — and there’s a catch most coverage skips: those withheld benefits aren’t actually lost. Here’s what it would do and the trade-offs.
A New Bipartisan Push to Fix Social Security’s Shortfall
With Social Security’s trust fund headed for trouble around 2032, lawmakers are pushing "process" bills to force action — a House commission bill and the Senate’s PROMISE Act, now opposed by AARP over process and by Sen. Sanders over what it could produce. Nothing is law yet. Here’s what each would do and the full menu of fixes, explained neutrally.
How to Appeal a Social Security Decision
If Social Security denies your claim or makes a decision you disagree with, you can appeal — but you usually have just 60 days, and there are four levels. Here’s how the process works and how to act fast.
May Inflation Rose to 4.2%: What It Means for the COLA
Inflation jumped to 4.2% in May — the highest in three years — mostly on an oil-price spike. It nudges 2027 Social Security COLA estimates up, but two facts keep it from being a 4.2% raise: the COLA uses a different index, and only July through September counts.
What the New Inflation Report Means for the 2027 COLA
A fresh inflation report lands June 10, and it will hint at where the 2027 Social Security COLA is heading. But here is the catch most coverage skips: it won’t actually count toward the COLA — only July through September will.
Why October Is a Big Month for Social Security
Every October, Social Security reveals the most important numbers for the year ahead — the COLA, and the figures that travel with it. Here is what gets announced, why it happens then, and when it takes effect.
2027 COLA: What the Official 3.6% Means at 62
The official 2027 cost-of-living adjustment is 3.6% — which adds roughly $50 a month to a typical 62-year-old’s benefit. Here’s what it means at 62, and how forecasts moved all year before the official number arrive until October 2026.
Social Security Could Face a ~$500 Monthly Cut in 2032
If Social Security’s retirement trust fund is exhausted on schedule in 2032, benefits would face an automatic cut — about 22% per the official 2026 Trustees Report, unless Congress acts. Here is what the numbers say and what they don’t.
Social Security Disability (SSDI): How Much It Pays
SSDI pays monthly benefits to workers who can no longer work because of a serious, long-term disability. In 2026 the average benefit is about $1,630 a month and the maximum is $4,152. Here is how the amount is calculated and how to qualify.
The Social Security Fairness Act: WEP and GPO Repealed
The Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2025, repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset — raising benefits for about 3 million public-sector workers and their families.
Is Social Security Taxable? How Your Benefits Are Taxed
Social Security can be federally taxable, but most people pay tax on only part of their benefits — and many pay nothing. Whether yours are taxed depends on your “combined income.” Here are the 2026 thresholds.
Social Security and Medicare: How the Two Programs Work Together
Medicare is separate from Social Security, but tightly linked: you sign up through SSA, and your Part B premium comes out of your Social Security check. Here are the parts, the enrollment window, and the penalty for waiting.
How Your Social Security Benefit Is Calculated
Your benefit is based on your highest 35 years of earnings, indexed for wage growth and run through the PIA formula. Here is each step — AIME, the 2026 bend points, and a worked example.