In partnership with
Dear US retiree,
August is one of those Social Security months that trips people up before it even starts.
SSI recipients already got their August payment on July 31st.
There is no separate August SSI deposit.
The next one arrives September 1st.
Little Known RMD Strategy Allowed by the IRS
For investors with $1M+ in retirement accounts, the tax code allows specific strategies that can reduce your tax exposure once RMDs begin—but only if used before then.
The window is open for anyone within ten years of 73. A fiduciary advisor can review which may apply, at no cost.
If you receive SSI and you are staring at your account wondering where August's check is that is why. It already arrived. You are not missing a payment. The calendar just shifted.
For everyone else there are five things happening with Social Security this month that you need to know.
Here they are. All of them. In plain English. No spin.
One. Your August Payment Date.
Social Security retirement and disability benefits go out on Wednesdays based on your birthday.
If you were born between the 1st and 10th of any month your August payment arrives Wednesday August 12th.
If you were born between the 11th and 20th your August payment arrives Wednesday August 19th.
If you were born between the 21st and 31st your August payment arrives Wednesday August 26th.
If you started receiving Social Security before May 1997 or you receive both Social Security and SSI your payment arrives on the 3rd of each month. August 3rd was a Monday so no adjustment was needed this month.
Put those dates in your calendar right now.
If the money does not arrive within three business days of the scheduled date call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 before assuming something is wrong with your bank.
Two. Your COLA Is Already In Your Check.
The 2026 COLA was 2.8%.
It was applied to every check starting in January 2026.
Elon's Launching His Own "iPhone." 3 Stocks to Buy to Prepare
If you'd bought Apple before the first iPhone, you'd have seen peak gains of 7,537%. One product turned ordinary investors into millionaires.
Now Elon Musk is launching his own version — a device he claims will be "10x bigger than the largest product in history."
Target launch: July 22. Just days away.
The people who win on launches like this don't buy after the headlines. They position before. Our analyst pinpointed 3 stocks set to ride the launch — with entry guidance and price targets, plus a bonus 4th pick (the most undervalued name in the supply chain) and a 3-phase playbook showing exactly when to buy, when to add, and when to take profits.
100% free. No credit card. Over 2,500 investors have already read it.
You have already been receiving the increased amount for eight months.
There is no additional boost coming in August.
For the average retired worker that increase added approximately $56 per month bringing the average benefit to approximately $2,071 per month.
But here is what nobody tells you clearly enough.
The Number Behind the Number.
The 2.8% COLA added approximately $56 per month to the average benefit.
Then Medicare Part B took $17.90 of it right back.
The standard Medicare Part B premium jumped nearly 10% in 2026. From $185.00 per month to $202.90 per month.
For the 70% of Medicare beneficiaries who have their Part B premium deducted directly from their Social Security check the net real increase after Medicare was approximately $38 per month.
Not $56.
$38.
That is the number that actually landed in your account.
Worth knowing.
Worth being a little angry about.
And worth keeping in mind every time Washington talks about the generosity of the annual COLA.
The COLA giveth. Medicare taketh away.
The gap between the headline number and the real number is why we are here every single day.
Three. The 2027 COLA Preview. And It Looks Promising.
Every August advocacy groups and economic analysts begin releasing early estimates for next year's COLA.
This year the early projections are coming in higher than 2026.
AARP is projecting approximately 3.6% for 2027.
The Senior Citizens League is projecting approximately 3.8%.
Wall Street’s New Shopping List
Big money is rotating into a select group of stocks for the second half of 2026.
MarketBeat’s analysts tracked the move and identified 10 companies attracting fresh capital right now.
The updated 10 Best Stocks to Own in 2026 report lays out the tickers, trends, and catalysts.
The official 2027 COLA will not be announced until mid-October 2026 after the SSA finalizes August and September inflation data.
But if the early estimates hold the average retired worker could see their check increase by approximately $75 to $80 per month starting January 2027.
On top of the $56 increase they already received in January 2026.
Two consecutive years of meaningful increases.
Mark October 2026 in your calendar. That is when the official number drops.
Four. Social Security Fairness Act Money Is Still Arriving.
If you receive a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security taxes, you may still be receiving retroactive payments under the Social Security Fairness Act.
The act eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset.
As of July 2026 the SSA has paid out $17 billion in retroactive payments to 3.1 million beneficiaries.
The average retroactive lump sum payment: $6,710 per person.
Plus permanently higher monthly amounts going forward for everyone affected.
If you worked as a teacher, firefighter, police officer, or other public employee and you have not yet seen your retroactive payment or your permanently higher monthly amount contact the SSA directly.
Call 1-800-772-1213 or log into your My Social Security account at ssa.gov to check your status.
This money is yours. Do not leave it sitting in a backlog.
Five. The Direct Express Card Is Changing.
If you receive your Social Security benefit on a Direct Express prepaid debit card there is a transition underway.
Fifth Third Bank became the new financial agent for new Direct Express enrollments starting May 18th 2026. Comerica had managed the program previously.
If you are an existing Comerica cardholder you do not need to do anything right now. The SSA says existing accounts will transition later in 2026 or early 2027 with advance notice sent before any change.
Watch your mail for an official SSA letter about the transition.
Do not respond to any phone calls or emails claiming to be about your Direct Express card unless you initiated the contact.
Scammers are already exploiting this transition to steal card information.
When the legitimate transition notice arrives it will come from the SSA by mail. Not email. Not phone.
Mail.
The Bigger Picture.
Your August check is arriving on schedule.
The 2027 COLA is looking promising.
The Fairness Act payments are reaching the people who earned them.
But here is what this month reminded us.
The headline number and the real number are almost never the same.
$56 COLA. $17.90 back to Medicare. $38 in your pocket.
That gap is why you need someone watching the details on your behalf.
Every payment date. Every rule change. Every legislative development. Every number behind the number.
That is what we do here at US Retirement Report.
Every day. Before it matters.
Stay sharp.
— US Retirement Report
This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Payment dates and benefit amounts are based on publicly available SSA information as of August 2026 and are subject to change. Please verify your specific payment details at ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-772-1213.
Move this email to your Primary inbox so you never miss a daily briefing. On mobile: tap the three dots. Move to Primary.