3 steps to max out your Social Security benefits in 2026

There are three boxes you need to check before you apply. And you'll have to put in some real work to pull this off.

Social Security: Payments of Up to $5,181 Coming This Week

Over 70 million people rely on Social Security for essential income, including retirement, disability, and survivor benefits.

Social Security benefits will set a record next year, and retirees in these 5 states can expect to see the greatest COLA increases. Here's why

The historic rise is also "laughably misaligned" and "woefully insufficient," according to experts.

First Look at Next Year’s Social Security Raise Should Have Seniors Concerned

The COLA is called a raise because it results in a retiree’s monthly benefits check getting bigger. The purpose of it is to ...

First 2027 Social Security COLA forecasts a small bump at 2.5%. But early predictions are often incorrect. Here’s what retirees should watch instead

The Senior Citizens League has released its first forecast for next year’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), projecting a 2.5 ...

Here's the Maximum Possible Social Security Benefit for Ages 62 Through 70 in 2026

The Social Security Administration publishes maximum benefits for ages 62, 65, 66, 67, and 70 every year, and updates previous years using the annual COLA. I calculated the theoretical maximum ...
Nasdaq

Social Security's 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Offers No Silver Lining

The 2026 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is here, and larger checks are arriving this month. There's no silver lining for retirees who will end up with a benefits increase that's ...
Newsday

As year's first Social Security checks roll out, Long Islanders say it's not enough

As the first Social Security checks hit bank accounts in 2026, some Long Islanders say this year's 2.8% cost-of-living increase is not enough. “For most people who rely on Social Security for the ...
CNBC

First 2026 Social Security payments bring a bigger check in January. What beneficiaries can expect

The first Social Security and Supplemental Security Income checks for 2026 will include a 2.8% boost for about 75 million Americans, thanks to a cost-of-living adjustment. But higher Medicare premiums ...
MLive

Social Security payment schedule in 2026 features some changes: Here’s what we know

2026 is here, and for millions of Americans who receive Social Security payments, it comes with a slight raise. Last year, the Social Security Administration announced an annual cost-of-living ...
Newsweek

Social Security Recipients Get Bad News About Payment Increase Predictions

Social Security recipients have received a wave of bad news due to the Fed's rate cut in December. The Federal Reserve cut rates by 0.25 percent with a 9-3 vote and also indicated that future cuts ...
HousingWire

Social Security proposals raise stakes for senior homeowners

A Brookings report argues Social Security’s funding shortfall shouldn’t trigger a shift to flat benefits. While trust funds face depletion by 2032, experts say preserving wage replacement protects ...