#social-security-benefits

#social-security-benefits

Social Security benefits rose by 2.8% in January 2026, adding roughly $56 per month to the average retiree's check. Year-over-year inflation is running at 2.2%, which means the COLA is actually outpacing current price increases by a small margin. The catch is Medicare. Medicare Part B premiums increased in 2026, and since those premiums are deducted directly from your Social Security payment, some of that $56 gain disappears before it reaches your bank account.

Stacie Haller, a consultant for executives, recently had a meeting with a former business owner in his early 80s. He'd sold his business, started playing golf, and discovered something about himself: he found golf extremely boring. And now, even though he doesn't need to be, he's back on the job market. 'I'm so vital', he'd told Haller, 'I'm still in the game'.

According to a Realtor.com® analysis of median Social Security benefits by state and the Elder Economic Security Standard Index,, the average retiree in Alabama ends up with an annual surplus of $576, or about $48 a month, after paying for essential living costs. While it may not seem like a lot, the extra funds are more than homeowners have in most of the country, and can be put to good use in future-proofing a home.