Hi there! As 2026 gets underway, we’re taking a look at what’s ahead on the Social Security forecast. This month’s roundup highlights timely updates and resources designed to help you stay informed and prepared.
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Seniors on Social Security Could Face $460 Monthly Cut to Benefits
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Jim Komoroski, RSSA® is quoted in Newsweek, offering expert insight into the projected monthly cuts to Social Security benefits should Congress fail to act.
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I’m retiring at 62 this year with 11-year-old twins. Can they claim Social Security using my benefit?
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NARSSA’s Martha Shedden is quoted in MarketWatch, offering clarity on Social Security benefits for retirees with minor children.
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Social Security Crunch Time Is Just a Senate Term Away
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Martha Shedden was featured in ThinkAdvisor where she shared insights on Social Security’s long-term solvency challenges, the risk of future benefit reductions, and why she remains “optimistic.”
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Social Security Slashed Staff Amid Claims of Massive Fraud. Now What?
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Martha Shedden was quoted in another ThinkAdvisor story explaining how staffing cuts and misinformation have affected the Social Security Administration, and why fully funding the SSA remains critical.
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The RSSA® Program Has Been Updated for 2026
The 2026 RSSA Program updates are now live in the learning platform. All course content is aligned with current 2026 Social Security values and the latest version of the RSSA Roadmap software.
If you’re currently working through the program, you can safely resume. If you’ve already passed the exam and are a Registered Social Security Analyst, we encourage you to review the refreshed materials and attend member meetings to stay current and support your client work.
Whether you’re completing the program or staying sharp as an RSSA®, everything is now fully aligned for 2026.
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Question: My wife has reached full retirement age. She is working and self-employed. She hasn’t paid taxes for last year yet this year. Should she wait until she files taxes before requesting to start benefits? Will she get an adjustment to her benefit if she starts Social Security before filing her taxes for last year? Will she get future adjustments if she keeps working and contributing?
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Answer: Your wife can file for benefits up to four months prior to the time she wants them to begin. If her income taxes for 2025 have not been filed, her earnings will not yet be in the IRS database for the SSA to use in her benefit calculation. In this case, her benefit will be adjusted later if those particular years earnings are in her highest 35 years in the benefit calculation. Retirement benefits are based on the highest 35 years of earnings, after being adjusted for inflation, and then also on the age the beneficiary begins collecting…
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Social Security Administration Updates
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SSA Leadership Update
The Social Security Administration welcomed Arjun Mody as its new Deputy Commissioner, confirmed by the Senate and sworn in on January 5.
SSA Service Update
SSA briefed the Social Security Advisory Board on recent service improvements, including expanded online access and faster processing.
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Medicarians 2026
Join us April 20–22, 2026 in Las Vegas for the premier event connecting Medicare, Social Security, and retirement professionals. Register with our RSSA Partner Discount.
2026 FSP Institute
We’re excited to share that Bradley Hardin, RSSA® will be representing NARSSA at the FSP Institute from February 17–20 in Orlando, Florida. Bradley will be presenting on an important conversation many advisors hear every day: Will Social Security Be There When I Need It? Learn more.
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Will Social Security Cuts and Inflation Shrink Your Retirement Benefits? 4 Factors To Consider
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Caroline Raker, RSSA® was featured in Yahoo Finance sharing how cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) often fail to keep pace with the real inflation retirees experience.
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What Is the Social Security COLA for 2027?
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NARSSA’s Martha Shedden is quoted in U.S. News & World Report sharing insights on inflation trends, COLA expectations, and why health care costs continue to outpace benefit increases.
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©2025 National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: The National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts, Ltd. has no affiliation with the Social Security Administration or any other government agency. The Social Security information provided in this email and on the website does not and is not intended to constitute financial advice. All information, content, and materials available in this email and on this site are for general informational purposes only.
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