Long waits when calling the Social Security Administration's 800 number have been a legacy issue. Commissioner Frank Bisignano said he's changing that.

Social Security's COLAs are based on changes in average third-quarter inflation data from one year to the next, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). It's not as complicated as it sounds.

Anyone who’s been paying attention at the pump or supermarket knows that the cost of goods has increased substantially this year, particularly over the past few months. We can largely thank the Iran conflict for that.

After complaints about staffing cuts and long waits to get help at the Social Security Administration, its commissioner says he’s ready to

Four senior senators, two Democrats and two Republicans, are calling on Congress to tackle the “hard” debate over how to extend the solvency of Social Security after the program’s trustees issued a new report this week projecting it will face a significant shortfall at the end of 2032.

"Social Security cannot go bankrupt. Ever. If bankruptcy means that the program will run out of money, it is not possible," said Martha Shedden, president of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts, based in Melville, New York, in an email.

Social Security disability benefits can provide crucial income support, but eligibility is notoriously strict.

In 2025, the Social Security Administration announced it was moving away from paper checks towards direct deposit only. What followed was a series of changes and delays, even as the agency insisted it was joining in the broader federal government effort to “modernize payment systems and enhance service delivery.