Category: Taxes and Retirement

The 2027 COLA for FERS retirees is 2.6%. CSRS retirees and Social Security beneficiaries get the full 3.6%, which SSA announced on October 14, 2026. That one-point gap isn't a mistake. It's written into the FERS law, and it kicks in every time the COLA comes in above 3%. The…

With colder weather here and the leaves turning, fall has officially arrived. Less sunshine, yes, but it’s also the time of year when the 2027 updates start rolling in for many government programs that affect millions of people. One of the biggest is the 2027 Social Security Cost of Living…

If you never applied for a spousal or survivor benefit because the Government Pension Offset (GPO) would have cut it to zero, the Social Security Fairness Act made you eligible back to January 2024. But if you're applying for the first time now, Social Security is paying at most six…

If you are eyeing retirement in the next few years, you have probably run the same math I have: will Social Security and savings actually cover the bills, or do you need something more locked-in? Annuity salespeople are leaning hard into today's higher rates to push that decision along. Before…

If your Medicare Part B premium feels like it's eating your Social Security check, a Medicare Savings Program might erase it entirely. These are state-administered programs that pay some or all of your Medicare costs if your income is low enough — and a surprising number of eligible people have…

If your disability started at age 30, 35, or 44, you likely couldn't open an ABLE account before this year. As of January 1, 2026, that's changed — the eligibility cutoff moved from disability onset before age 26 to before age 46, opening this tax-advantaged savings account to an estimated…

With fall around the corner, summer in the rearview mirror, and a consequential midterm election just weeks away, there is a lot happening in money news. From essential tax, unemployment and social security benefit annual changes — here are some updates worth reviewing. Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits by State: Washington…

The adoption tax credit is worth up to $17,670 per child for 2026 — and for the first time, a real chunk of it, up to $5,120, comes back to you even if your tax bill is already at zero. That refundability piece is new, and it changes who actually…

Active duty troops get paid twice a month in 2027: on the 1st and the 15th. When either date lands on a weekend or a federal holiday, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) moves payday to the business day before, never after. That one rule explains every "early" paycheck…

VA disability compensation for any given month is paid on the first business day of the following month. When the 1st lands on a weekend or federal holiday, VA pays on the last business day of the month before instead. That rule is simple, but in 2027 it creates an…

If you freelance, drive for a rideshare app, or run any kind of side business as a sole proprietor, there's a decent chance you can deduct 20% of your business profit before you ever get to the standard or itemized deduction. It's called the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, and…

The 2027-28 FAFSA opens to everyone on October 1, 2026, and it runs on your 2025 tax return. Beta testing for the form actually started August 5, 2026, but October 1 is when every family gets access. I went through what the Department of Education actually changed this cycle, and…

If a single prescription fill ever hit you with a $400 or $800 bill at the pharmacy counter, Medicare has a free option that turns that into a smaller monthly payment instead. It's called the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan — M3P for short — and a lot of people on…