Old systems survive because replacing them is harder, slower, and riskier than it looks. Here is how legacy technology actually works in government, and what catching up really costs.
The 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment announced in October 2025 raises the average retired-worker benefit by about $49 a month starting with January payments.
Social Security's annual raise is a formula, not a vote in Congress. Here is how the calculation works and what it means for the benefit increase that took effect in January 2026.