Social Security & Medicare

Medicare & Health Coverage

Wegovy, Zepbound, and Foundayo drop to $50 a month under Medicare’s GLP-1 Bridge starting July 1 — but the copay won’t count toward the new $2,100 Part D out-of-pocket cap

Starting July 1, 2026, Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for the new GLP-1 Bridge demonstration will pay a flat $50 per month for Wegovy, Zepbound, or Foundayo. The program runs through December 31, 2027, and requires no registration or opt-in. But the $50 copay sits entirely outside the Part D benefit

COLA & Payment Updates

The average Social Security retiree is on track for an $81 monthly raise in 2027 — the 4th-largest cost-of-living adjustment in 36 years after Iran-driven gas and grocery inflation

A gallon of regular gasoline has topped $4 in most of the country for three straight months. Egg prices remain stubbornly high. And the electricity bill keeps climbing. For the roughly 68 million Americans who depend on Social Security, those kitchen-table realities are now pointing toward a tangible payoff: an

Policy Changes & Legislation

Social Security now docks half your monthly check 90 days after an overpayment letter goes unanswered — but a debt of $2,000 or less can be waived by phone

A Social Security beneficiary collecting $2,000 a month who ignores an overpayment notice could now lose $1,000 of that check to automatic withholding. Under a policy change that took effect April 25, 2025, the default recovery rate for Title II overpayments jumped from 10 percent to 50 percent of monthly

Policy Changes & Legislation

Social Security’s main trust fund now runs dry in 2032 — a year earlier than last forecast, triggering an automatic 24% benefit cut unless Congress acts before then

Tens of millions of Americans who depend on Social Security retirement checks face a tighter deadline for congressional action. The Congressional Budget Office now projects the program’s main trust fund will run out of reserves in 2032, one year sooner than its previous estimate. If lawmakers fail to act before

Benefits & Claiming Strategies

Within 12 months of claiming, retirees can withdraw their Social Security application and refile later

Every month, thousands of Americans file for Social Security retirement benefits before their full retirement age, locking in a permanently reduced check. Many do it out of necessity; others do it because they assume there is no going back. But the Social Security Administration actually offers a do-over: within 12

COLA & Payment Updates

Social Security’s 2026 COLA adds about $56 a month to the average benefit

The average retired worker on Social Security will see roughly $56 more per month starting in January 2026. But after a Medicare Part B premium hike takes its cut, the actual increase deposited into most bank accounts will land closer to $38.10. That gap between the promised raise and the

Wegovy, Zepbound, and Foundayo drop to $50 a month under Medicare’s GLP-1 Bridge starting July 1 — but the copay won’t count toward the new $2,100 Part D out-of-pocket cap

The average Social Security retiree is on track for an $81 monthly raise in 2027 — the 4th-largest cost-of-living adjustment in 36 years after Iran-driven gas and grocery inflation

Social Security now docks half your monthly check 90 days after an overpayment letter goes unanswered — but a debt of $2,000 or less can be waived by phone

Social Security’s main trust fund now runs dry in 2032 — a year earlier than last forecast, triggering an automatic 24% benefit cut unless Congress acts before then

Within 12 months of claiming, retirees can withdraw their Social Security application and refile later

Social Security’s 2026 COLA adds about $56 a month to the average benefit

Fees, Scams & Rip-Offs

12,400 Americans 60 and older lost more than $100,000 each to online scammers last year — the FBI says any caller demanding gift cards, crypto, or a wire transfer is the scam

Estate & Legacy Planning

Anyone 70½ or older can route $111,000 of their IRA straight to charity in 2026 — the gift counts toward the year’s required minimum distribution and never hits taxable income

401(k) & IRA Strategies

Workers aged 60 to 63 can stash $11,250 in 401(k) catch-up contributions for 2026 — a one-time super catch-up that ends the year they turn 64

The Retirement Wire is a retirement-focused financial news publication covering Social Security, Medicare, retirement income, taxes, lifestyle planning, and the stories that affect your financial future. We deliver clear, practical reporting to help you make confident retirement decisions.

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Category: Social Security & Medicare

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