Author: TECH

                                We hope you’ll meet up with us at WCI for the next (and first-ever in-person) installment of Comp & Circumstance. It’s happening Monday, Aug. 24, around 5 p.m. near the Starbucks kiosk. See you there!                

When you’re struggling with Social Security checks that aren’t going as far as they used to, learning that an above-average cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) could be on the way for 2027 feels like a cause for celebration. Don’t get me wrong — any increase is preferable to your checks remaining static. However, there are actually a couple of pretty significant drawbacks to large Social Security COLAs that you may want to brace yourself for. You probably won’t feel them right away, but they could make your budget tighter down the road. Image source: Getty Images. 1. It could trigger Social Security…

  We’re always told to express gratitude and return kindness to others. If someone else does something nice for us, we say thank you to them. Why don’t we do the same for ourselves? After all, you’re the one overcoming obstacles in your life, working hard to improve yourself and your relationships with people around you. At first, the idea of thanking yourself may seem unnecessary or even vain. This is normal, as unfortunately, many of us find it difficult to show gratitude to ourselves. Isn’t it funny how we don’t think twice before minimizing our efforts, judging ourselves harshly,…

Many retirees living on just Social Security have watched their monthly checks rise each year without feeling much relief at the grocery store or gas pump. The Social Security 2100 Act, reintroduced in Congress this year, would temporarily change the formula used to calculate annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) so it better matches the way older Americans spend their money. The increase from one year to the next may look small, though those extra dollars could add up over the course of a long retirement. Here’s how the proposal could change future COLAs. Find Out: 13 moves seniors could benefit from…

On his first day in office, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed three executive orders to fulfill his housing agenda, including the development of the Land Inventory Fast Track.LIFT is described as a “multi-agency effort to identify city-controlled land that is suitable for housing.”Exactly eight months later, the mayor has broken ground on his large-scale affordable housing project, which will ultimately utilize more than 100 city-owned sites to build an estimated 50,000 new affordable homes for New Yorkers. Along with the ground-breaking is a new interactive tracking tool, aptly called the LIFT Tracker, which is a map available to any…

From Colorado comes the story of a child prodigy pianist whose career was kick-started by a jaw-dropping donation from a complete stranger. Brought to us via CBS News “On the Road” with Steve Hartman, the story began on the mock ebony and ivory of an unused electric keyboard forgotten in a basement 5 years ago. It was found, one fateful day, but Jude Kofie, then a tender 9 years old and son of Ghanaian immigrant and father of 4, Isiah. This autistic boy put his hands on the keys and was changed forever; a Mozart-savant style talent had lain hidden…

Somewhere inside the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget this week, an analyst hit “publish” on a paper that should have led the evening news. The finding: no single change to how Washington taxes Social Security benefits will save the program. Reforming benefit taxation could help, the group said, in its July 30 paper on the subject, but only as one piece of a much larger fix.   It has finally become clear that Congress has run out of easy options—and it never had many to begin with.  Here’s the timeline. The 2026 Social Security Trustees Report puts the retirement trust fund on track for insolvency in 2032, six years…

Community Walks Bring Together Families, Neighbors, and Advocates Across 14 Illinois Communities to Fund Life-Saving Programs CHICAGO, Aug. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) has unveiled the schedule for its 2026 Out of the Darkness Community Walks. As the state’s largest suicide prevention and mental health awareness campaign, this signature event series will take place in 14 communities across Illinois from September through October. AFSP OOTD Walk AFSP Illinois is calling on residents, business leaders, and local advocates to join the effort to raise more than $1 million throughout the state. In Illinois, suicide is…

If you’re hoping next year’s Social Security raise will finally give your monthly budget some real breathing room, the earliest forecast for 2027 might feel a bit underwhelming. The Senior Citizens League is projecting a 3.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for next year, up from the 2.8% increase retirees received in 2026. But whether that extra cash actually supports your retirement goals depends on what’s waiting to claim it. With Medicare premiums, groceries, and utilities steadily inching upward, even a projected 3.8% increase may feel less like a raise and more like an attempt to keep pace. Below is a breakdown…

Want an easier way to build healthier eating habits? One of the most effective tools for improving your nutrition isn’t a trendy diet or expensive app. It’s simply keeping a food journal. Recording what you eat each day can help you become more mindful of your choices, recognize unhealthy patterns, and make steady progress toward your health goals. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, manage food sensitivities, or simply eat a more balanced diet, a food journal gives you valuable insights into your daily habits. Over time, you’ll be able to spot what works, identify areas for improvement,…