Timely updates on senior benefits, Social Security, Medicare, new laws, costs, and scam alerts.
13 articles
For two years, a federal program quietly held down the premiums on stand-alone Medicare drug plans. It ends with the 2027 plan year, which is why some Part D premiums could jump more this Open Enrollment than they have recently. Here is what changed, who is affected, and how to protect your drug costs before December 7.
October 13, 2026
In 2027, the full retirement age for Social Security finishes its long climb to 67. People born in 1960 are the first group to reach a full retirement age of exactly 67. Here is what that changes, what it does not, and how the age you claim still moves your check by hundreds of dollars a month.
October 9, 2026
The federal government has stopped mailing most paper checks, and Social Security wants every beneficiary on direct deposit or a Direct Express card by the end of 2026. Fewer than 1 percent of recipients still get a check in the mail. Here is who is affected, how to switch, and the narrow exceptions that let a few people keep paper.
October 6, 2026
The repeal of WEP and GPO restored Social Security for more than 3 million public-sector retirees, and the agency has paid about $17 billion in back benefits. But those lump sums are taxable, a surprise bill hit this filing season, and a proposal in Congress would change it. Here is where things stand.
October 2, 2026
In 2027, the most you pay out of pocket for covered Part D drugs is $2,400, up from $2,100 this year. The standard deductible climbs to $700. Here is how the cap works, why it keeps rising, and how to keep your drug costs manageable.
September 29, 2026
Almost no one uses it, but every Medicare drug plan has to offer it. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you pay your out-of-pocket drug costs in monthly installments instead of all at once at the pharmacy. It charges no interest and does not lower your bill. Here is who it helps in 2027, who should skip it, and what happens if you miss a payment.
September 27, 2026
Insurers are pulling out of some Medicare Advantage markets and trimming benefits for 2027. Humana alone expects its exits to affect about 600,000 members. Here is what is confirmed, what is only expected, and the special rights you get if your plan is dropped.
September 22, 2026
Social Security can now hold back up to 50 percent of a monthly benefit to recover an overpayment, up from the 10 percent cap in place a year earlier. Here is why the rate changed, who it affects, and the three forms that can stop or shrink the withholding.
September 18, 2026
A new federal law requires adults ages 19 to 64 on expanded Medicaid to work, volunteer, or study 80 hours a month to keep their coverage, starting by January 1, 2027. People 65 and older and those on disability are exempt, but adults 50 to 64 are expected to lose coverage in the largest numbers, often over paperwork rather than refusing to work.
September 15, 2026
Medicare's fall Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. The out-of-pocket cap on Part D drug costs rises to $2,400 and the deductible to $700. Here is what changed, the one letter you need to read, and how to compare plans before the window closes.
September 11, 2026
A federal tax law now gives most people 65 and older an extra $6,000 deduction, or $12,000 per couple, for tax years 2025 through 2028. It is not the same as ending taxes on Social Security. Here is who qualifies, how the income phaseout works, and how to claim it.
September 8, 2026
A 2025 federal law raised the age for SNAP work requirements from 54 to 64. Many adults in their late 50s and early 60s now have to work, train, or volunteer 80 hours a month to keep food benefits, and several long-standing exemptions are gone. Here is who is affected, who is not, and what to do.
September 4, 2026
The 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is not official yet, but the leading forecaster now estimates 3.8 percent, up from the 2.8 percent raise in effect today. Here is what that would mean for your check, when the real number arrives, and why Medicare could eat into it.
July 9, 2026
Senior News is our timely track: what changed this week or this month for older adults and the families who help them. We cover the moving numbers, Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, Medicare premiums and enrollment deadlines, drug-price rules, and Medicaid and SNAP updates, alongside the laws and proposals working their way through Congress that would change what benefits pay or who qualifies. We also flag the scams currently targeting seniors, because the fastest-moving threats rarely wait for an annual guide.
Each piece is dated, sourced to the agencies and bills it describes, and written to answer the practical question first: what does this mean for your money, your coverage, or your safety, and what, if anything, do you need to do about it. For the deeper background, every news item links to our evergreen guides on the same benefit.
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