To qualify for Social Security as a retiree, you need to earn 40 work credits in your lifetime, at a maximum of four credits per year. In 2025, a single work credit is worth $1,810, up from $1,730 in 2024. So if you want your four work credits for the year, you'll need to make sure your wages equal at least $7,240.

The Social Security Administration has announced a 2.5% cost-of-living (COLA) adjustment to beneficiaries starting in January of 2025 — the smallest increase since 2021. Beneficiaries will receive a notice of their increased monthly payment from the Social Security Administration in December.

Social Security beneficiaries who also get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will get three checks in November: two SSI payments in addition to their monthly Social Security check, government-issued retirement income for those 62 and older. However, SSI recipients will not get a check in the following month, December.

While millions of retired Americans will soon see a 2.5% cost of living increase in their Social Security payments, additional Social Security checks might be in the

The first round of November's Social Security payments have gone out. If you're expecting a check this coming week, we'll tell you when you'll get it.

In an unexpected twist, some Social Security beneficiaries will receive an extra SSI check in November. This anomaly, rooted in the Social Security Administration's 2024 calendar, may surprise those accustomed to monthly payments.