The third round of January’s Social Security payments, worth up to $5,108 for the highest-income earners who retire at age 70, will go out to the third group of retirees in five days. Retirees born on or after the 21st of a month will receive their payments on Jan.

Millions of Americans rely on Social Security benefits, and the program is something millions more look forward to when they plan to retire. It's true that signing up for benefits can be a long, drawn out process,

"I'm very worried — how am I going to survive?" Huntington resident Leann Pisano, 58, a recent nursing school graduate, said of concerns about future Social Security benefits.

You can claim Social Security benefits starting at the age of 62. However, the earlier you claim your benefits, the smaller your checks will be. Waiting longer to begin your benefits can have a huge payoff,

On the state level, though, the rules are different. A total of 41 states don't tax benefits, but nine do. If you live in one of them, you may need to make some plans to avoid owing money to the government. Here are the nine states that tax Social Security benefits in 2025:

According to a news release by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, the Social Security Fairness Act ensures that public sector workers and their families in Louisiana will receive their full Social Security benefit.

Undocumented workers often pay taxes that help fund programs like Social Security — even if they can’t collect from them in the future.

The money came back when the Department of Treasury gained access to the Social Security Administration's "Full Death Master File."

The Treasury Department recovered more than $31 million in Social Security payments made to dead people due to a five-month pilot program approved by Congress. The pilot program has given the Treasury temporary access to the Social Security Administration’s “Full Death Master File” for three years as part of a 2021 appropriations bill.