Got Social Security Questions? AARP Has Answers

From payment estimates to expert advice, our resources can help you make crucial decisions and better understand your benefits

Deirdre Shesgreen,

Updated April 21, 2026

AARP

Reviewed by

Jammie Lyell, M.S.

Comments

Updated April 21, 2026

a man looking through binoculars in front of a social security card background

Jon Krause

Key takeaways

AARP offers free tools and guides to help you understand and plan for Social Security.
Resources cover estimating benefits, deciding when to claim and different benefit options.
Users can get tailored answers from human experts or our AI-powered Ask AARP tool.

Want to estimate your future Social Security payment? Need a how-to on applying for disability benefits? Wondering if you will owe taxes on your Social Security income?

AARP can help. Here are some of our free resources that can aid you in navigating Social Security and making the most of the payments you’ve earned.

Ask AARP: Located at the top of our main Social Security page and powered by generative AI, Ask AARP helps you get the most out of AARP’s Social Security (and Medicare) resources with tailored answers drawn exclusively from our trusted, fact-checked, expert-reviewed content. Get the information you need in seconds, ask follow-up questions and click on source links to the full articles with additional details.

Join Our Fight to Protect Social Security

You’ve worked hard and paid into Social Security with every paycheck. Here’s what you can do to help keep Social Security strong:

Add your name and pledge to protect Social Security.
Get expert advice on Social Security benefits and answers to common questions.
AARP is your fierce defender on the issues that matter to people 50-plus. Become a member or renew your membership today

Social Security Calculator: Use our popular calculator to estimate your future benefits and get comparative data on claiming at different ages. It’s a quick and easy way to see how much higher your monthly payments will be if you wait to apply for Social Security until your full retirement age or later rather than claiming at age 62, the earliest option. AARP’s tools and calculators page has additional resources to help you bolster your retirement savings and fit Social Security into your larger financial strategy.

Understanding Social Security Retirement: When you’re ready to start planning for Social Security, begin your journey with our eight-part introduction to retirement benefits. Get the basics on how monthly payments are determined, deciding the right time to claim, and how work, taxes and health care can affect your Social Security income.

Most Popular

Social Security FAQs: Get straightforward answers, vetted by Social Security experts and written in plain English, to more than 200 common questions about how Social Security works for retirees, survivors, spouses and children, and people with disabilities. You’ll find practical info on everything from benefit applications and disability appeals to eligibility and earnings tests, plus sections devoted to navigating Social Security services.

Ask an Expert: Have a specific question about your own Social Security situation? Submit a query online to two of AARP’s experts: Jammie Lyell, an AARP program manager who previously worked as a technical expert at the Social Security Administration (SSA), and Stephen Richardson, a former SSA claims representative and public affairs official. They can share tailored responses, based on their deep knowledge of SSA policies and procedures, to help you address individual issues and concerns.

On-demand webinars and tutorials: Our e-learning platform links you to more than 20 AARP webinars and online courses, providing expert advice and essential information on Social Security and Medicare that you can engage with on your own schedule. Topics include Social Security decisions that can cost you, the Social Security system’s financial stability and a guide to Medicare open enrollment.

Plus, read the latest on COLAs, customer service and more Social Security news, and check our Advocacy page for information on how AARP is fighting to protect and strengthen Social Security.

Looking for a deeper dive? Check out our comprehensive, regularly updated Social Security books, on sale from major online retailers:

Social Security for Dummies: Now in its fifth edition from AARP and Wiley, the publisher behind the For Dummies series, Social Security for Dummies guides readers through the program in clear, jargon-free language. Written by Jonathan Peterson, a veteran journalist and former AARP director of communications, this is a comprehensive guide to the foundations of Social Security, with chapters on when to apply, how to enroll in Medicare, crafting a long-term retirement plan and more to help you maximize your financial well-being.

100 Questions & Answers About Social Security: Written by AARP experts, this new volume (published by Wiley in March 2026) decodes Social Security with easy-to-understand language and a clearly organized Q&A format, covering everything from eligibility criteria and application procedures to tax issues, filing appeals and securely reporting changes to the SSA.

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The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Deirdre Shesgreen is an AARP writer and editor covering Social Security. She previously worked as a state news editor for the AARP Bulletin and as a reporter and editor at USA Today, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other publications.

Jammie Lyell is the Social Security program manager for AARP's office of community, state and national affairs. He formerly worked at the Social Security Administration as a legal administrative specialist and technical expert.

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