Editorial policy

Named sources

Every consequential figure comes from a named source: a federal agency publication, an official form, or a published private survey. Where the source has a public page, we link to it directly in the article so you can check the number yourself.

Dated figures

Medicare and Social Security amounts change annually, usually each October or November. We show the year each figure applies to, and each article carries a visible publication date and a last-reviewed date. Figures on this site are current for 2026 and change annually. We re-check annual figures before each new benefit year.

Ranges over false precision

When costs vary widely by region or provider, we give a range and say so rather than pretending a single number fits everyone. When a figure is a national median, we name the survey it comes from.

Independence

Past 55 is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with SSA, CMS or any government agency, and no agency reviews our pages before publication. We do not accept payment to cover a product or plan, and no advertiser or partner influences our figures. There are no affiliate links on the site today; the affiliate disclosure page explains what would change if that did.

Not personal advice

We publish general information. We do not review your record, we do not predict whether you qualify for anything, and we do not recommend plans. Where a decision needs your personal details, we point you to the agency that can help.

Corrections

Mistakes happen. When they do, we verify the correct figure against the primary source, fix the page, and note the change when it is material. See the corrections page to report a problem.