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Good morning, Simply Retirement Community!
Welcome to the weekly newsletter that reminds us that retirement is not the end of the road; it is the start of a new journey.
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As I shared last week, we celebrated our granddaughter’s second birthday this past weekend, and this photo was just too great not to share 😀
If you look closely, you’ll see it was a full-on Baby Shark birthday (or, as she calls them, “Doo-Doo’s”).
This picture was taken as she was eating her very own birthday cupcake. She left the little flags in, though, so she covered her eyes as she took a bite—apparently, that made perfect sense in the moment.
And yes, you’ll also notice the entire Baby Shark finger-toy family lined up on the table. They’re her absolute favorites. What amazes me most is that there’s a very specific order they must go in when she puts them on her fingers—and she knows it exactly.
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💬 From Episode 87
“Cost-of-living increases are not a bonus—they’re Social Security’s attempt to help you keep up with rising prices, and for many retirees, it still falls short.”
ERIC BLAKE
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The Truth Behind Social Security Increases and What They Mean for Your Retirement
That annual Social Security increase announcement can be confusing.
Is it a bonus? Will it cover your rising costs? More importantly, how does it really affect your decisions about when to retire and when to claim your benefits?
In this episode, I unpack the new 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment for 2026. We explore how Social Security benefits grow differently before and after age 62, why the inflation measure might not match your personal expenses, and how your early work years still count. We provide clarity on how delaying your claim and continuing to work can increase your lifetime benefits, especially important for married couples planning for survivor income.
Tune in to learn:
- The meaning behind the 2026 2.8% COLA and why personal inflation may be higher
- How Social Security uses CPI-W, an inflation index for workers, which can undervalue senior expenses like healthcare
- The role of wage indexing in growing your pre-retirement benefits and the "gap" from age 60 to 62
- The powerful impact of delaying your filing age on your monthly benefit and future COLA dollar amounts
- How working in your 50s, 60s, or 70s can replace low-earning years and permanently increase your benefit
- And more!
You can catch every episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast on the website - or on your favorite podcast app.
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Related Links & Resources
- 👉 Work with us!
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🛠️ Episode Tools & Resources
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👩👩👧👦 Connect & Participate
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The Retirement Toolbox
👉 Will My Social Security Benefits Be Reduced?
Claiming Social Security benefits can be one of the more complicated topics that you make when planning for retirement. There are a multitude of rules that can have a significant and lasting impact on your future income stream and overall financial picture.
To help make this analysis easier, we have created the “Will My Social Security Benefits Be Reduced?” flowchart. It is based on the Social Security Administration’s guide, “Retirement Benefits,” and addresses common issues including:
- How to determine Full Retirement Age (FRA)
- Effects of marriage and divorce
- Implications of collecting benefits before, at, or after FRA
- Annual limits
- Impact of continuing to work while claiming benefits
- How benefits will be taxed
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Have more questions about retirement planning? Just hit reply to this email. I read and respond to every message. 😃
Keeping Retirement Simple,
Eric Blake, CFP®
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Content here is for illustrative purposes and general information only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice; nor is it a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security, or engage in any specific trading strategy.
All investing involves risk including loss of principal. Results will vary. Past performance is no indication of future results or success. Market conditions change continuously.
Information here is provided, in part, by third-party sources. These sources are generally deemed to be reliable; however, neither Blake Wealth Management nor RFG Advisory guarantee the accuracy of third-party sources. The views expressed here are those of Blake Wealth Management. They do not necessarily represent those of RFG Advisory, their employees, or their clients.
This commentary should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by Blake Wealth Management or RFG Advisory, or performance returns of any client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice.
Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, LLC ("RFG Advisory" or "RFG") a registered investment advisor. Blake Wealth Management and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where RFG Advisory and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advisory services may be rendered by RFG Advisory unless a client agreement is in place.
RFG Advisory is an SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of RFG by the Commission, nor does it indicate that RFG or any associated investment advisory representative has attained a particular level of skill or ability.
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