Social Security & Retirement Guides
Authority guides that answer distinct questions — then connect you to CheckPayDate calculators and payment schedules.
Definition
What Is Social Security?
Plain-English Social Security definition, how it works, FRA, payments, taxes, and SSI vs Social Security.
Read guideEstimate
How to Estimate Your Social Security Benefits
Teach benefit estimation, claiming ages 62 / FRA / 70, and link to free estimators — no SSA login required.
Read guideApply
How to Apply for Social Security Benefits
Process guide for retirement, SSDI, survivor, and SSI applications — official SSA channels only.
Read guideIncome sources
What Types of Income Can You Use in Retirement?
What types of income can you use in retirement to support yourself? Social Security, pensions, 401(k)/IRA, VA, work, and more.
Read guide2032 outlook · State data
States Affected by Social Security Cuts Calculator
What the 2032 trust fund outlook means, SSA 2025 beneficiaries and benefits by state, and a hypothetical cuts calculator.
Read guide2027 COLA · 3.6% official
Social Security Increase 2027
The official 3.6% COLA, your new benefit amount, average increases by beneficiary type, SSI rates, payment dates, and other 2027 changes.
Read guideEvergreen · How COLAs work
Social Security COLA Explained
How the COLA is calculated from CPI-W, who gets it, why your deposit may rise by less, COLA history, and estimates vs. official announcements.
Read guideNews · Confirmed vs. proposed
Latest Social Security Benefit Changes
One regularly updated page: the 2027 increase, when new payments begin, other 2027 changes, and which future changes are confirmed, projected, or only proposed.
Read guideRetirement income · Planner
How Much Do Retirees Rely on Social Security?
SSA and Census data on reliance, whether you can live on Social Security alone, other income sources, and a retirement-income planner.
Read guideTrust fund · 2032 outlook
Will Social Security Benefits Be Cut in 2032?
What the Trustees' depletion projection means, whether the funds are running out, possible reduction sizes, and a hypothetical scenario calculator.
Read guideTrust fund · Proposals
Social Security Insolvency: Tax Proposals & Funding Options
What insolvency means, how payroll tax and earnings-cap proposals would help per SSA's actuaries, current bills, and what's enacted vs. proposed.
Read guideAccount · Login
My Social Security Login & Account Guide
Sign in with Login.gov or ID.me, create an account, find your 2027 COLA notice online, and fix common login problems.
Read guideContact · Offices
Social Security Phone Number & Office Near Me
SSA's phone and TTY numbers, hours, best times to call, automated 24/7 services, and how to find an office and book an appointment.
Read guideSafety · Fraud
Social Security Scams & Phishing Emails
The latest SSA scam alerts, an interactive red-flag checker, phishing email tips, and how to report fraud to the Inspector General.
Read guideCard · Checker
Social Security Card Replacement & Name Change
Check if you can replace your card online, get a personal document list, and change your name after marriage. Free from SSA.
Read guideTax · Calculator
Social Security Tax Limit 2026 & 2027
The wage base, 6.2% rate, and maximum tax, plus a calculator that shows your payroll tax and when withholding stops.
Read guideFormula · Calculator
How Social Security Benefits Are Calculated
Indexing, your top 35 years, AIME, the 90/32/15 formula, and 2026–2027 bend points, with a calculator that shows every step.
Read guideSSDI · Chart
Social Security Disability Pay Chart 2026 & 2027
SSA's official average SSDI payments, 2027 earnings limits, and an estimated pay chart by lifetime earnings.
Read guideLetter · How-to
Social Security Award Letter & Proof of Income
Download your benefit verification letter instantly, get it mailed, and learn how it differs from your award notice.
Read guideFees · Calculator
Social Security Fees for Records (2026)
SSA's non-program purpose fee schedule effective October 1, 2026, a fee calculator, and the free alternatives.
Read guideDisability · Checker
SSDI Eligibility Checker
See if you meet SSDI's work-credit, earnings, and 12-month rules for 2026 and 2027, then learn the 5-step medical review and how to apply.
Read guideSSI · Checker
SSI Eligibility Checker & Payment Estimator
Check SSI's age-or-disability, resource, and income rules, and estimate your 2026 or 2027 federal payment with SSA's exclusions.
Read guideSSN · First time
How to Get a Social Security Number
Apply for a first Social Security number and card — newborns, citizen children and adults, and noncitizens — with a checker for the right way to apply.
Read guideNews · Records
Social Security Number Database Cleanup
What SSA's October 2026 SSN records cleanup and citizenship updates changed, a 'Was my record affected?' checker, and how to fix a wrong death or citizenship record.
Read guideCOLA vs. your costs · Calculator
How Inflation Affects Social Security Benefits
Compare the COLA with your own housing, grocery, utility, healthcare, and transportation increases to see whether your budget keeps up.
Read guideMedicare rebate · Scam check
Is There an Extra $90 Social Security Deposit?
The October 2026 one-time $90 Medicare Part B rebate explained: who qualified, how to verify it, and how it differs from the COLA.
Read guideH.R. 10608 · Full benefits at 60
Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act
What the proposed bill would change, who could qualify for full benefits at 60, and a points-system eligibility calculator.
Read guideNext check · Payment dates
When Do We Get Our Social Security Checks?
Your next payment date by birthday and benefit type, today's and tomorrow's payments, who gets paid on the 3rd, and what to do if a payment is late.
Read guideEarly payments · Holidays
Will Social Security Checks Come Early This Month?
This month's SSI, SSDI, and retirement payment dates, which ones move for weekends or holidays, and why SSI sometimes pays twice in a month.
Read guideGreen card · SSN · Permanent residents
Do Green Card Holders Have Social Security Numbers?
How permanent residents get an SSN, when the card arrives, what it looks like, updating your status, and what changes when you become a citizen.
Read guideGreen card · Benefits · Medicare · SSI
Do Permanent Residents Get Social Security?
Retirement, disability, survivor, spouse, Medicare, and SSI rules for green card holders, plus living abroad and a benefit eligibility screener.
Read guidePayroll tax refunds · Excess tax
Do I Get Social Security Tax Back?
When Social Security tax is refundable, how to claim excess withholding from two employers, and an excess tax calculator.
Read guideDefinitions · History · Both views
Is Social Security a Form of Socialism?
What socialism means, how Social Security works as social insurance, the arguments on each side, and the program's history.
Read guide