Category: Guide & Explainers

The annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security is an important way the Social Security Administration (SSA) helps benefits keep pace with inflation.  Understanding how […]

When you hear about the maximum Social Security benefit, it refers to the largest monthly retirement benefit amount the SSA estimates someone may receive in […]

The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in early 2025, repealed two long-standing provisions that had reduced Social Security benefits for certain public-sector workers […]

If you receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, knowing exactly when your October payment will arrive is key for budgeting and planning.  […]

The Social Security payroll tax covers a portion of your earnings each year. But this tax doesn’t apply to all of your income; it stops […]

The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law on January 5, 2025, makes major changes to two longstanding rules: the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and […]

Each year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) adjusts benefit payments to keep them aligned with changes in the cost of living.  This increase is known […]

There’s a lot of concern around the future of Social Security.  Questions often include whether payments will stop, if benefits will be cut, and how […]

Every year, the Social Security wage base, the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security taxes, moves upward to reflect changes in national wages.  […]