Data Sources
Our calculators and trackers are grounded in primary publications from U.S. government agencies.
August 2026 Consumer Price Index
Official August 2026 CPI-W: 328.481.
Published 2026-09-11 · Last checked September 26, 2026Supports: cpi-w-2026-august, cola-2027-flat-estimateJuly 2026 Consumer Price Index
Official July 2026 CPI-W: 327.104.
Published 2026-08-12 · Last checked September 26, 2026Supports: cpi-w-2026-july, cola-2027-flat-estimateLatest Cost-of-Living Adjustment
Official CPI-W formula, 2025 Q3 base average of 317.265, and 2.8% COLA effective for December 2025.
Published 2025-10-24 · Last checked August 30, 2026Supports: cola-base-average-2025-q3, cola-2026-official, cola-2027-flat-estimate2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums
Official 2026 standard Part B premium: $202.90.
Published 2025-11-14 · Last checked August 30, 2026Supports: medicare-part-b-20262026 Medicare Trustees Report
Intermediate estimate for the 2027 standard Part B premium: $209.50.
Published 2026-06-09 · Last checked August 30, 2026Supports: medicare-part-b-2027-estimate, medicare-hold-harmlessHow the Hold-Harmless Provision Protects Your Benefits
SSA explanation of eligibility conditions and common exceptions for Part B hold-harmless protection.
Published 2020-11-30 · Last checked August 30, 2026Supports: medicare-hold-harmlessPOMS HI 01001.004: Variable Part B Premium
SSA operating policy for hold-harmless eligibility and the variable Part B premium calculation.
Published 2023-02-02 · Last checked August 30, 2026Supports: medicare-hold-harmlessSchedule of Social Security Payments
Official 2026 and 2027 Social Security and SSI payment calendars.
Publication date not stated · Last checked August 30, 2026Supports: payment-calendar-2026-2027View Benefit Payment Schedule
SSA states that monthly benefit dates depend on birthday and benefit type.
Publication date not stated · Last checked August 31, 2026Supports: payment-date-depends-on-benefit-typeSSA Handbook Section 121: Payment Dates
SSA handbook rules for birthday-based Wednesdays, third-of-month categories, and earlier delivery around weekends or Federal holidays.
Publication date not stated · Last checked August 31, 2026Supports: payment-birthday-schedule, payment-third-of-month-exceptions, payment-federal-holiday-earlySocial Security Act Section 708: Delivery of Benefit Checks
The Act directs delivery on the preceding eligible day when a regular delivery date is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal public holiday.
Publication date not stated · Last checked August 31, 2026Supports: payment-federal-holiday-earlyCost-of-Living Adjustment Information
SSA states that CPI-W is the official measure used by law to calculate COLAs and describes the third-quarter comparison.
Publication date not stated · Last checked August 31, 2026Supports: cola-cpi-w-legal-measure2026 Consumer Price Index Release Schedule
September 2026 CPI is scheduled for release October 14, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.
Published 2026-02-18 · Last checked August 30, 2026Supports: cola-2027-final-cpi-releaseFull Retirement Age by Year of Birth
Official SSA table of full retirement ages by birth year and the January 1 prior-year rule.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 2, 2026Supports: benefit-fra-by-birth-year, benefit-january-1-prior-yearEarly and Late Retirement
Official early-retirement reduction factors (5/9 of 1% up to 36 months, 5/12 of 1% beyond) and delayed retirement credits.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 2, 2026Supports: benefit-early-reduction-rules, benefit-delayed-retirement-creditsDelayed Retirement Credits
Official SSA rules on delayed retirement credit accrual and the age-70 maximum credit limit.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 2, 2026Supports: benefit-delayed-retirement-credits, benefit-delayed-credits-stop-at-70Early Retirement Eligibility and Benefit Reduction
SSA explains which month a worker can first be entitled at age 62, including the birthday-day exception.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 2, 2026Supports: benefit-earliest-retirement-monthComputing a Retired-Worker Benefit
SSA retired-worker computation steps, including early and delayed adjustments and statutory rounding.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 2, 2026Supports: benefit-fra-by-birth-year, benefit-early-reduction-rules, benefit-statutory-rounding, benefit-35-year-base, benefit-wage-indexing-age-60, benefit-recomputation-mechanics, benefit-taxable-maximum-cap2026 Social Security Changes (Fact Sheet)
Official SSA 2026 exempt amounts: $24,480 ($2,040/mo) under FRA, $65,160 ($5,430/mo) in the year FRA is reached.
Published 2025-10-24 · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: earnings-test-2026-limits, earnings-test-withholding-ratesReceiving Benefits While Working
SSA rules on how work before full retirement age affects benefits, including withholding divisors and FRA benefit recalculation.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: earnings-test-2026-limits, earnings-test-withholding-rates, earnings-test-withholding-reconciliationSpecial Earnings Limit Rule
SSA operating rules for the monthly earnings test during a beneficiary's grace year.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: earnings-test-monthly-ruleHow Work Affects Your Benefits (SSA Publication No. 05-10069)
SSA consumer guidance illustrating whole-check suspension, statutory reduction, and end-of-year adjustment.
Published 2026-01-01 · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: earnings-test-withholding-rates, earnings-test-withholding-reconciliationSpecial Payments After Retirement (SSA Publication No. 05-10063)
SSA guidance on bonuses, accumulated vacation pay, and deferred compensation earned before retirement.
Published 2026-01-01 · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: earnings-test-special-paymentsPOMS RS 02501: Retirement Earnings Test Provisions
SSA operational policy for annual and monthly exempt amounts, excess earnings calculations, and substantial services in self-employment.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: earnings-test-2026-limits, earnings-test-monthly-rule, earnings-test-withholding-reconciliationBenefit Formula Bend Points
Official annual bend points for the 90%, 32%, and 15% PIA formula tiers by eligibility year.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: benefit-bend-points-formulaNational Average Wage Index (AWI)
Official historical National Average Wage Index values used for wage indexing through age 60.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: benefit-wage-indexing-age-60Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) Formula
Statutory explanation of the 3-tier progressive formula deriving PIA from Average Indexed Monthly Earnings.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: benefit-bend-points-formula, benefit-aime-calculationContribution and Benefit Base Determination
Official annual statutory maximum covered earnings credited under OASDI.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: benefit-taxable-maximum-capQuarter of Coverage Requirements
Official annual earnings required to earn one Social Security work credit (up to 4 per year).
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: benefit-aime-calculationSocial Security Post-Entitlement Recomputation
Statutory rules governing annual automatic recomputations when post-entitlement work replaces lower base years.
Publication date not stated · Last checked September 3, 2026Supports: benefit-recomputation-mechanicsEstimates Under the 2026 Trustees Report
Official table of projected COLAs and AWI increases under the 2026 Trustees Report intermediate assumptions; these values are scenarios, not observed data.
Published 2026-06-18 · Last checked September 4, 2026Supports: benefit-trustees-scenario-parametersSource hierarchy
We prioritize agency releases, official tables, statutory formulas, Federal Register notices, and official payment calendars. Secondary reports may help identify a question, but they do not replace the primary source for a published number.
Freshness
The visible “last updated” date tells you when the site's core dataset was last reviewed. Individual sources separately show their publication date, when stated by the agency, and the date we checked them. A future or conditional value is always labeled estimate or scenario.