The last round of payments for January are coming. If you're waiting on your check, here's when you can expect it.

Social Security checks saw a 2.5% boost this month thanks to the latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). For most retirees, this is the only benefit increase they can expect all year. Their checks won't go up again until the next COLA takes effect in January 2026.

Key Takeaways For 2026, the Senior Citizens League predicts a smaller cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security benefits compared to last year.They estimate that the COLA will be 2.1% in 2026, which is down from 2.

Like most elected officials, Donald Trump recognizes that Social Security is vital to the financial well-being of our nation's retirees. But he's not oblivious to the fact that altering Social Security comes with potentially negative ramifications. While speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March 2013, Trump said:

Social Security benefits can be taxable at the federal and state level. The income thresholds at which those taxes apply are very low. Eliminating taxes on Social Security could help seniors in

Why do I need to even think about Social Security, much less spend time focusing on it?" But the reality is that some of the Social Security moves you make during your working years could set you up for higher monthly benefits during your retirement years.