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Curated coverage from SSA, the Office of the Inspector General, AARP, and policy research groups. Plus tools and a free weekly newsletter.
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For Individuals & Retirees
Claiming, payments, benefits
When to claim, how much you'll get, payment schedules, spousal and survivor benefits — in plain English.
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Policy, legislation, program admin
Trustees reports, OIG findings, regulatory changes, and Capitol Hill activity — built for advisors, attorneys, and policy staff.
Browse professional briefingsLatest news
All newsSanders' $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.
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.
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Benefits Estimator
Estimate your monthly retirement benefit using the official PIA formula, with optional spousal and survivor estimates.
Disability (SSDI) Calculator
Estimate your monthly SSDI benefit, your family total with dependents, and your potential back pay.
COLA Tracker
See the current cost-of-living adjustment, find your payment dates by birthday, and view 20+ years of COLA history.
Glossary & FAQ
Plain-language definitions of essential Social Security terms, searchable and filterable by audience.
Resource Directory
A curated directory of official SSA and Medicare calculators, forms, publications, and research.
Quick answers
All guidesHow much will I get from Social Security?
Your benefit is based on your 35 highest-earning years and the age you claim — anywhere from 62 (reduced) to 70 (maximum).
Estimate your benefitCan I work while collecting benefits?
Yes. But before full retirement age, Social Security temporarily withholds $1 for every $2 you earn above an annual limit — and repays it later, so it isn’t lost.
How the earnings test worksAre Social Security benefits taxed?
Up to 85% of your benefit can be federally taxable, depending on your total income. A new senior deduction (2025–2028) shields many retirees from that tax.
See if yours are taxableWhen will my payment arrive this month?
Retirement and disability benefits arrive on a Wednesday set by your birth date — the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday. SSI arrives on the 1st.
Check the 2026 scheduleWhat if my claim is denied?
You can appeal — but you generally have only 60 days, and there are four levels, starting with reconsideration. Many claims that ultimately succeed do so on appeal.
How to appeal, step by stepIs Social Security going away?
No. Even if Congress did nothing, incoming payroll taxes would still cover about 78% of benefits after the trust fund’s projected 2032 depletion — and Congress has always acted before a cut.
What the 2032 date really meansGet the free 2026 Social Security Cheat Sheet
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