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By FATIMA HUSSEIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Social Security Administration is hoping to cut visits to its field offices in half next year, a move that advocates for the agency fear signals more closures are coming.

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Field offices have long been community-based branches that serve as the public face of the SSA, which provide in-person help for people applying for retirement and disability benefits, getting Social Security cards and other important services.

A November internal field office operating plan shared with The Associated Press outlines a proposed target of 50% fewer field office visitors in fiscal year 2026 compared to fiscal year 2025, or no more than 15 million field office visits by members of the public. Agency field offices saw more than 31.6 million field office visits from SSA recipients from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, according to the agency document. read more

Q. In a column last month discussing Social Security’s earning limits of $23,400 (“Timing is key for initiating survivor benefits”), you did not distinguish between work earnings and other income. The Social Security website makes a distinction. Can you clarify how Social Security treats different types of earnings when an individual files for a survivor benefit prior to reaching his full retirement age?

A. You are correct. The Social Security Administration (SSA) indicates that “only wages” count toward Social Security’s earnings limits of $23,400 in 2025. If you work for someone else, only your wages count. If you are self-employed, only your net earnings after expenses count. SSA does not count other government benefits, investment interest, pensions, annuities or capital gains. An employee’s contributions to a pension or retirement plan is counted if the contribution amount is included in the employee’s gross wages.

Because I referenced Heather Schreiber, a Social Security expert, in that column regarding the importance of timing, many readers wrote to Heather requesting clarifications and additional input. read more

By PAUL WISEMAN, Associated Press Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers’ mood improved slightly this month, with worries about inflation easing a bit, but remains gloomy.

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  Fed’s preferred inflation gauge stayed elevated in September as spending weakened

The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index, released Friday in a preliminary version, rose to 53.3 early this month from a final reading of 51 in November. The index beat the 52 mark that economists had forecast but is down considerably from 71.7 in January.

Consumers’ evaluation of current economic conditions slipped slightly, but their expectations for the future brightened somewhat. read more

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation changed little in September, likely easing the way to a widely expected interest rate cut by the central bank next week.

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  U.S. consumer sentiment improved this month but remains subdued, the University of Michigan reports

Prices rose 0.3% in September from August, the Commerce Department said Friday, in a report that was delayed five weeks by the government shutdown. It matched the increase recorded during the previous month. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.2% in September from August, the same as August, and a pace that if it continued for a year would bring inflation closer to the Fed’s 2% target. read more

By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market rose to the edge of its all-time high on Friday.

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The S&P 500 added 0.2% and finished just 0.3% shy of its record closing level, which was set in October. It had briefly topped the mark during the day, before paring its gain.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 104 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.3%.

The modest moves capped a quiet week for Wall Street, offering a respite following weeks of sharp and scary swings. read more