Claiming guides

Plain-language guides to the Social Security claiming decision — what the break-even age really means, how the annual COLA compounds, which states tax benefits, and how claiming at 62 vs. 67 vs. 70 changes your lifetime total. Each links into the calculator so you can run your own numbers.

• The 2027 Social Security COLA: what mid-2026 inflation data is signaling — The 2027 COLA will be set by July–September 2026 inflation and announced in mid-October. Mid-year data points higher than this year's 2.8% — here is what the numbers signal, and what a bigger COLA means (and doesn't) for when you claim.
• The break-even age, explained without the jargon — Claiming Social Security later means a bigger check, but you collect for fewer years. The break-even age is when waiting finally pays off. Here is how it actually works.
• How the Social Security COLA works — and the 2026 adjustment — Each October the SSA announces a cost-of-living adjustment that raises benefits the following January. For 2026 the COLA is 2.8%. Here is how it is set and what it means for you.
• Does your state tax Social Security benefits? — Most states do not tax Social Security benefits at all. As of 2026, only nine do — and most of those exempt the majority of retirees. Here is the current map.
• Claiming at 62 vs 67 vs 70 — the real tradeoffs — 62 gets you money now at a permanent discount. 67 (full retirement age for most) is the no-penalty baseline. 70 is the maximum. Here is how to think about the three.
• Spousal and survivor benefits, in plain language — Your claiming age affects more than your own check — it can shape what a spouse receives now and what a survivor receives later. The basics every couple should know.

Updated July 2026