Minor children—and in some cases grandchildren—may qualify for monthly support when a parent receives benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Here’s what families should know right now. If you’re a Social Security beneficiary, your dependents may be eligible for a monthly payment. This generally covers children who are minors, some students in high school, … Read more
A 2025 study from Northwestern Mutual finds the comfort target rising since 2020, while savings and confidence lag. U.S. adults now estimate they need $1.26 million to retire comfortably by age 65, according to Northwestern Mutual Financial Planning and Life Insurance Company’s annual research. That target has climbed from 2020, when Americans expected to need … Read more
Seniors and people with disabilities will soon need in-person help for tasks once handled by phone, even as staffing levels fall. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is about to make routine business anything but routine. Beginning in mid-August, beneficiaries who want to update an address, check a claim, or request a tax form by phone … Read more
Stretch your check without shrinking your lifestyle—these three expat hotspots show how. If you’re counting on your monthly check to do the heavy lifting, you’re not alone—yet American retirees burn through about $5,000 a month. So, where can a typical benefit of $2,005.05 stretch twice as far without skimping on comfort? For recipients willing to … Read more
Workers born after 1958 face a higher full retirement age, smaller early-claim checks, and—even more unsettling—a Capitol Hill debate over pushing the bar to 69. For millions thinking “I’ll file at 65 and call it a day,” the calendar just shifted. Beginning in 2025, Americans born in 1959 must wait until 66 years 10 months … Read more
Extra cash on the horizon as the Peach State returns a $1 billion budget surplus to residents. Georgia taxpayers are about to feel a welcome bump in their bank accounts. A new refund program, backed by Governor Brian Kemp and funded by this year’s $1 billion budget surplus, will send up to $500 to eligible filers. In a … Read more
The Social Security Administration has reopened most field offices, but you still need an appointment—so what’s the fastest way to get on the calendar? Americans who rely on Social Security have faced weeks of uncertainty after temporary office shutdowns tied to budget pressures. Now that counters are slowly switching the lights back on, the SSA … Read more
Federal payments are going digital by September 30, 2025; SSA says paper checks remain for those who can’t use e-payments. Under the “Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account” order, agencies are phasing out paper. SSA confirms paper checks will still be offered to recipients who genuinely cannot use electronic transfers. Worried you’ll be … Read more
The SSA confirms deposit dates, a $4,018 cap and the key rules you need to know. For millions of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients, knowing when money arrives is half the budgeting battle. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released its August 2025 calendar, keeping the maximum monthly benefit at $4,018 and reporting an average check … Read more
When a cheaper oil change ended with a bone‑dry engine, one driver turned to TikTok—and nearly 400,000 viewers—to demand answers from America’s largest retailer. Erika, known online as @femme.diaries, rolled into a Walmart Auto Care Center hoping to save a few dollars compared with her usual Take 5 stop. Minutes later she drove out, confident the … Read more
New rules push the full retirement age to 66 years and 10 months next year, with lawmakers eyeing 69 later this decade. Thinking of filing for Social Security the minute you turn 65? Hold that thought. In 2025, Americans born in 1959 will have to wait until 66 years and 10 months for full benefits. The step‑up may look minor, yet it can cut lifetime payouts … Read more
Lawmakers are debating whether to let workers divert a slice of payroll taxes into personal accounts. If that happens, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) could move from supporting role to star performer. Social Security privatization would redirect part of the 12.4 percent payroll tax into investment accounts that you, not the Treasury, would manage. Supporters say the … Read more
A new forecast says couples who both worked could see benefits fall by nearly a quarter once a key trust fund runs dry. Social Security’s safety net may feel a lot thinner by 2033. According to the non‑partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), a typical two‑income retired couple would collect about $18,100 less … Read more
Millions of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients who owe the agency money will soon see smaller checks as the Social Security Administration (SSA) begins clawing back overpayments. The SSA confirmed it will automatically hold back up to half of monthly SSI benefits— and, in some cases, SSDI or retirement checks—from … Read more
More than 8.2 million households will benefit under the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget plan, easing everyday costs. Starting in October 2025, New York will send one‑time inflation rebate checks worth as much as $400 to eligible families without asking them to fill out a single form. The automatic payment, announced by Governor Kathy Hochul, targets low‑ and middle‑income residents feeling … Read more
New analysis warns that rising payroll taxes or trimmed benefits may hit today’s entrants hardest as the trust fund races toward depletion. Millions rely on Social Security, yet the system’s accounts are draining fast. A Cato Institute report projects that, unless Congress acts before the mid‑2030s, fresh members of the workforce stand to lose roughly … Read more
SSI recipients will see two deposits—Aug. 1 and Aug. 29—but no check in September, so budget with care. Millions of Americans who count on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are in line for an early “second” payment next month. Because the first of September falls on Labor Day, a federal holiday, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will push … Read more
New federal data reveal where retirement checks lose buying power the fastest and which metros still let them breathe. If you’re counting on a monthly Social Security payment to carry you through retirement, where you live could be the difference between comfort and constant belt‑tightening. A fresh LendingTree analysis that stitches together figures from the … Read more
His long‑standing caution rings louder after trustees forecast a 23 % cut when reserves dry up in 2033. Millions of Americans count on Social Security to keep the lights on in retirement, but a warning from Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett has put the program’s finances in the spotlight. The famed investor reiterated that any reduction in … Read more
Starting in mid‑July, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will keep its My Social Security portal open all day, every day, removing the nightly and weekend shutdowns that frustrated users. Need to update your direct deposit after work? Or grab a benefit letter before dawn? The new schedule aims to make that possible while easing pressure on overloaded … Read more