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Nearly 90% of Americans age 65 and older receive Social Security benefits, according to the Social Security Administration. Also, "among elderly Social Security beneficiaries, 12% of men and 15% of women rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income."

The Social Security Administration announced last week that it opened its local offices starting on April 7 for in-person meetings. You no longer have to wait forever on the phone to set up an interview sometime in the future.

Medicare finally to cover COVID-19 testsPhoto by Edward Jenner from Pexels. For several weeks lawmakers, advocates, and Medicare beneficiaries have been putting pressure on President Joe Biden and other federal agencies. They have aimed to get Medicare to pay for or cover at-home COVID-19 tests.

Many Social Security recipients get denied benefits on their first application due to a variety of reasons. However, tens of thousands of disabled or elderly individuals are also excluded or stripped of their benefits for having the wrong name at the wrong time.

Each year tens of thousands of individuals become qualified to receive SSI benefits from Social Security Administration. One stipulation to continue receiving them is to report all earnings and property value held in assets, whether monetary or physical.

Social Security beneficiaries will see a 5.9% increase in their monthly checks starting January 2022, but experts warn the increase may not counter the rate of inflation. Social security benefits will increase 5.9% this year (2022), making it the biggest increase in benefits since 1982. However, experts are concerned that the increase won’t be enough to combat the rising cost of goods and living.

The Social Security Trust Funds will become "depleted" by 2034 according to a recent report by its Trustees. This is one year earlier than projected last year, according to a press release on Aug. 31 by the Social Security Administration.