Retirement and benefit desk

Retirement & benefit topics

Clear answers to the numbers people search for most. Start with the question you have, then follow the example and source note so the rule is easy to use.

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What do you need to understand?

Each page starts with the short answer, shows the important numbers, and explains what the number does not mean.

01 Full retirement ageLearn what full retirement age means, see the birth-year chart and understand how claiming before or after it can change a benefit. 02 Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)See the 2026 Social Security COLA, understand what it changes and use a simple example to estimate the size of the increase. 03 Maximum Social Security benefitSee the 2026 maximum retirement benefit examples at ages 62, full retirement age and 70, with the assumptions behind each number. 04 SSI payment amountsSee the 2026 federal SSI maximum payment amounts for an individual, an eligible couple and an essential person. 05 Bend points and PIAUnderstand the 2026 bend points and the three-step primary insurance amount formula in plain language. 06 Social Security earnings test limitsSee the 2026 earnings limits, the withholding formulas and a simple example for people who work while receiving benefits. 07 Social Security taxable wage baseLearn the 2026 Social Security taxable maximum, what the wage base means for payroll taxes and why Medicare is different.

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Numbers are only one part of the answer

Use the topic pages for the rule, then use your own record and the official instructions for a personal decision.

Average check by ageSee national retired-worker averages from age 62 through 99.Retirement benefits basicsPrepare better questions about your record and claiming timing.Find a local officeOpen a published office listing by state, city or ZIP code.