The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2025 is the lowest since the post-Covid inflation spike. Yet retirees still face high prices.

Social Security's 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2025 was disappointing for many seniors. It added just $49 to the average monthly check, and that's not enough for a lot of households. Most U.

We carefully adjusted our living expenses so that we could be satisfied with less income compared to our working years. It also helped that we had some control over the hours we worked and that our work involved helping people. Both of these conditions helped us enjoy our semi-retirement more.

President Donald Trump has tapped businessman Frank Bisignano as the Social Security Commissioner. What could that mean for you?

Social Security has two other funding sources: benefit taxes on some seniors and interest income earned on money in the program's trust funds. But both of those are in danger right now. The program's total costs became higher than its total income in 2021,

Qualifying for Social Security benefits in retirement generally goes something like this: Work and pay taxes on your income. Accumulate at least 40 work credits in your lifetime. Sign up for benefits whenever you want starting at age 62.

Boosting your Social Security benefits now rather than later will significantly help increase future payouts and plan for a comfortable retirement. Whether you're years away from retirement

Although millions of Americans do not have to pay taxes on their hard-earned Social Security checks, federal and state tax laws can effectively reduce the payments retirees receive. Nine states still tax Social Security benefits in 2025,