E ssentials take up more of a monthly Social Security check as prices rise faster than the latest benefit increase. The Consumer Price Index shows prices rose 3.3% over the past year, compared to the 2.8% COLA increase retirees received.
Related Brief 10h ago
social security Social Security payments for retirees born between the 11th and 20th are due April 15
Retirees born between the 11th and 20th of a month will receive their Social Security payments on Wednesday, April 15. This is the second of three April payment rounds. Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month received their payments on April 8. Those born on or on after the 21st of a month will receive their payments on April 22. Monthly payments are capped at $5,181. Amounts are determined by the years and amount of payroll tax paid into the system. Retirement age also determines the payment amount. A beneficiary retiring at 62 can receive up to $2,969 per month, while a retiree who waits until 70 receives up to $5,181 per month.
Energy prices rose 10.9% in March, driven by a 21.2% spike in gasoline. Shelter costs increased 3% over the past year, and retiree households spend about $1,849 a month on housing.
Related Brief 10h ago
social security A 2.8% Social Security COLA in 2027 would leave retirees falling behind
A 2.8% Social Security COLA in 2027 would leave retirees falling behind. The Senior Citizens League projects that cost-of-living adjustment will match the 2026 increase, delivering no improvement in purchasing power despite persistent inflation. A 2.8% inflation rate exceeds the Federal Reserve’s 2.00% target, eroding the value of fixed incomes. Social Security benefits are calculated using third-quarter inflation data, which currently points to that 2.8% adjustment. Retirees had hoped for a larger bump after post-pandemic COLAs reached as high as 8.7%. Instead, they face the same modest increase while Medicare premiums continue to rise. That means higher out-of-pocket costs without a corresponding boost in benefits. For seniors relying on conservative investment portfolios, the gap between inflation and income growth widens. Without recovery time from market downturns, they can’t afford to wait. A flat COLA forces difficult choices: reduce spending, delay withdrawals, or take on more investment risk. The 2.8% adjustment may keep pace with some price increases, but it doesn’t restore lost ground. Retirees must now prepare for another year where their benefits fail to catch up.
Medical costs are split. Physician services rose 0.7% and hospital services increased 0.4% in March, while prescription drug prices fell 1.5%. Overall food at home prices rose 1.9% over the past year.
Related Brief 15h ago
social security Social Security’s insolvency date has moved up by two years — and the $6,000 senior tax deduction is helping push it
A typical couple turning 60 in 2025 could lose $18,400 a year in Social Security benefits if Congress does nothing to address the program’s accelerating shortfall. The Congressional Budget Office now projects the Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund will be depleted by 2032 — two years earlier than the 2034 date estimated by the Social Security Trustees just months before. The shift stems directly from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law in July 2025. The OBBBA introduced a $6,000 senior tax deduction, which slashes federal revenue collected from taxing Social Security benefits. The Social Security Office of the Chief Actuary calculated the bill will drain $168.6 billion from Social Security’s finances between 2025 and 2034. That revenue loss has pulled the insolvency date forward. The OBBBA also restricts immigration, threatening to shrink the workforce. Fewer wage-earners mean less payroll tax revenue flowing into the system — compounding the shortfall. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget warns that without congressional action, future retirees could face a 24% benefit cut.
If inflation trends hold through summer, the 2027 COLA increase could rise.
Related Brief 1d ago
social security Harrison Ford's estimated Social Security benefit exceeds the national average by $2,569 per month
Harrison Ford's estimated monthly Social Security benefit of $4,640 exceeds the average retirement benefit of $2,071 per month. This figure is calculated by taking the maximum benefit achievable in 2012, which was $3,266, and applying cost-of-living adjustments. The Social Security Administration uses the top 35 earning years to calculate taxable contributions and disbursements. This estimation assumes Ford began receiving benefits at age 70 in 2012.
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