How the Social Security calculator works Three things greatly influence the size of your Social Security retirement benefits: your highest 35 years of earnings, when you were born and when you ...

Predictions for the future of programs like Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, with Social Security are grim. In fact, in February 2025, the forecast for Social Security's 2026 cost of living adjustment (COLA) ...

The reality is that while inflation has been ticking upward these past few months, we don't know whether this trend will ...

Learn about the Social Security COLA projection for 2026, including what it is, how it's calculated and what it means for your retirement — updated for July 2025.

Each year, a cost-of-living adjustment — or COLA — is intended to help recipients keep up with inflation and maintain their standard of living.