COLA, Medicare & LGBTQ+ Money Gaps: Your 2026 Social Security Update

In this Thanksgiving-week episode of Take Pride in Retirement, host and fiduciary advisor Matt McClure breaks down the 2026 Social Security changes and what they mean specifically for LGBTQ+ retirees and pre-retirees. Matt explains how cost-of-living adjustments, Medicare premium increases, and new tax deductions intersect with the lived financial realities of LGBTQ+ adults—many of whom face wage gaps, career interruptions, discrimination, and lower lifetime earnings that directly impact Social Security benefits. He also tackles the big question: “Will Social Security always be there?” and offers clear, actionable steps LGBTQ+ individuals and couples can take to build financial independence beyond government benefits—so Social Security becomes the cherry on top, not the entire sundae.  Plus, the episode includes a Quote of the Week from Maya Angelou, some heartfelt Thanksgiving reflections, and a surprising breakdown of 2024 Thanksgiving dinner costs (spoiler: turkey is cheaper, peas are not!). This episode blends financial clarity, LGBTQ+ awareness, and holiday gratitude to help you design a retirement you can truly take pride in. Schedule your free, no-obligation consultation today at TakePrideInRetirement.com or call (855) 246-9211. Build the retirement you deserve—with clarity, confidence, and pride. -- Request your free RSSA Roadmap for Social Security optimizationWatch full episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@TakePrideinRetirementShowFollow on BlueSky, Threads, Facebook, Instagram — just search Take Pride in Retirement --  Take Pride in Retirement is proud to be named one of the top Pride podcasts on the internet by FeedSpot. For more, go to https://blog.feedspot.com/pride_podcasts About Take Pride in Retirement:Take Pride in Retirement is a podcast dedicated to retirement planning solutions for the LGBTQ community. Host Matt McClure, a licensed fiduciary financial advisor, shares strategies to protect your hard-earned money while pursuing market-like growth. Matt holds the RSSA® credential as a Registered Social Security Analyst®, helping clients optimize their Social Security filing strategies to potentially increase lifetime income. He’s also a Certified Annuity Specialist® (CAS®), a designation earned through a 135+ hour graduate-level program in fixed-rate and variable annuities from the Institute of Business & Finance. Based in Georgia with his husband and two dogs, Matt spent over a decade in New York City, working with The Wall Street Journal Radio Network, NY1, and WCBS Newsradio 880. A career highlight includes reporting from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Chapters (00:00:00) - Take Pride in Retirement(00:00:57) - Take Pride in Retirement: LGBTQ+ Issues(00:03:27) - Thanksgiving Wish List(00:05:17) - Maya Angelou's "Be Present in All Things"(00:07:06) - Social Security for LGBTQ+ Retirees(00:10:42) - Social Security and Medicare: Changes coming up for LGBTQ+ retirees(00:15:13) - Will Social Security Always Be There? LGBTQ+ Adults Plan Their Retirement(00:19:10) - Planning Your Retirement With Pride(00:20:07) - Thanksgiving Meal Costs this Year(00:24:58) - To Take Pride in Retirement