Andy | Saving to Invest

Your SNAP EBT Card Got Skimmed? Here’s Why There’s Still No Federal Reimbursement in 2026 and 2027

Since December 20, 2024, there's been no federal program to pay back SNAP recipients whose benefits are stolen through EBT card skimming. As of August 2026, Congress still hasn't brought it back. That matters because the theft itself hasn't slowed down. Propel, which surveyed more than 8,000 EBT cardholders in…

Average Social Security Check by State for 2027: All 50 States Ranked After the 3.6% COLA

The average Social Security retirement check is about $2,170 a month starting January 2027, after the 3.6% COLA. But where you live tells a different story: Connecticut retirees average about $2,418, while Mississippi retirees average about $1,980. That's a gap of more than $400 a month, or close to $5,000…

Social Security Overpayment Clawback: SSA Can Take 50% of Your Check — Here’s How to Fight It

If an SSA letter says you were overpaid, the clock starts the day the letter is dated, not the day you open it. SSA's default recovery rate is 50% of your monthly benefit, and it starts automatically if you don't respond within 90 days. That 50% is the result of…

Medicaid Work Requirements Start January 1, 2027: Who’s Exempt and How to Keep Your Coverage

If you get Medicaid through your state's Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansion, mark January 1, 2027. That's when the federal work requirement in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) takes effect nationwide. Roughly 20 million adults in 43 states plus DC will need to show 80 hours a month of…

Student Loan Default and Social Security: Can They Take 15% of Your Check? (Collections Are Paused for Now)

If your federal student loans are in default, the government can legally take up to 15% of your monthly Social Security benefit through the Treasury Offset Program, but never below $750 a month. Right now that's paused, so check the status below before assuming it's happening to you. This isn't…

Medicare Extra Help 2026: Do You Qualify for Free Prescription Drug Coverage?

If you're on Medicare and drug costs are eating into a fixed income, there's a federal program that quietly covers a lot of that gap — and a meaningful number of people who'd qualify never apply, often because they've never heard of it or assume their income is too high.…

Will SNAP Get Cut Off After December 11, 2026? Where Funding Stands Now

If you get SNAP, the date to watch now is December 11, 2026 — not because benefits are scheduled to stop, but because that's when the stopgap funding bill Congress passed in September runs out. October 1 came and went without a funding lapse. Here's what happened the last time…

Average vs. Median Net Worth by Age in 2026: Are You Ahead or Behind?

The median American household has a net worth of about $192,700 in 2026. If that number feels either way too low or suspiciously high compared to what you'd guess, you're not alone — most people have never seen this broken out by age, and the "average" figure everyone quotes ($1.06…

Where Do Your Federal Tax Dollars Go? A 2026 Breakdown (Plus What’s Coming in 2027)

For every dollar the federal government spent in fiscal year 2026, about 22 cents went to Social Security and 16 cents went to Medicare. That's before a single cent goes to defense, interest on the debt, or anything else. Total federal spending in FY2026 runs about $7.4 trillion — 23.3%…

Your Direct Express Card Is Changing Banks through 2026 and 2027: What SSA, SSI, and VA Recipients Need to Know

If you receive Social Security, SSI, or VA benefits on a Direct Express prepaid debit card, you may get a letter or a new card in the mail this year from a bank you've never heard of before: Fifth Third Bank. This is real, not a scam — but it's…

Social Security Survivor Benefits in 2027: Who Qualifies and How Much You Get

The average Social Security benefit for a widow or widower living alone rises to about $2,005 a month in January 2027, after the 3.6% COLA. A widowed parent with two children averages about $4,074 as a household. What you get depends on the worker's record, your age when you claim…

SSDI Back Pay: How It Works, How Much You Get, and When It Arrives

SSDI back pay usually lands as a single lump sum about 60 days after approval. But the amount depends on three separate pieces: the application-to-approval gap, up to 12 months before you applied, and a five-month waiting period that is never paid. The terminology alone (back pay, retroactive benefits, waiting…

SNAP Soda and Candy Bans: 23 States Approved, 5 Blocked by Court — Full State-by-State List for 2026

USDA has approved SNAP food-restriction waivers in 23 states, but the number actually in effect just went down, not up. As of October 2026, only 8 of those 23 restrictions are active — South Carolina and North Dakota's bans, both live as of last month, got pulled back to a…

Social Security Payment Dates: October 2026 Schedule by Birth Date

If you get Social Security, your October 2026 payment lands on one of four dates depending on when you started benefits and your birth date. If you get SSI, October is the odd one: you'll see two deposits this month, not one. (Your payment amount still reflects this year's 2.8%…