Lansing SERA

10/14/2026

More detail in this gift article from the New York Times on the 3.6% Social Security COLA for 2027, Medicare premium icrease, and other factors that reduce the net $ in our pockets in January.

The cost of living adjustment, or COLA, for next year will be the largest since 2023. Retirees will see the extra money in their benefit checks starting in January.

10/14/2026

Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2027

Baltimore, MD - The Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced a 3.6 percent benefit increase for 2027. Social Security benefits include Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by $75 per month.

Nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2027. Increased payments to about 7.3 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2026. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security benefits and SSI).

“Social Security will implement this cost-of-living adjustment for 76 million Americans, giving them greater financial stability,” said Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano. “Under President Donald J. Trump, Social Security is delivering better, faster, higher-quality service for the American people."

Individuals with personal my Social Security accounts can view their COLA notice online starting in late November—up to three weeks earlier than receiving a paper notice in the mail. Account holders can also choose to receive text or email alerts when a new message, including their COLA notice, is available in their personal my Social Security account’s Message Center. Individuals who do not have a personal account will need to create one and enroll in paperless notices by November 18 to see their COLA notice online. Create an account today at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

Individuals who have not enrolled in paperless notices in my Social Security will receive their COLA notice by mail in December.
Social Security beneficiaries will receive a simplified, one-page COLA notice, which uses plain and personalized language, and provides exact dates and dollar amounts of an individual’s new benefit amount and any deductions.

Information about Medicare changes for 2027 will be available at www.medicare.gov. For Medicare enrollees, the 2027 premium amount will be available via my Social Security Message Center starting in late November. Individuals who have not opted to receive messages online will receive their COLA notice by mail in December.

The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) as determined by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For additional information, visit www.ssa.gov/cola.

09/25/2026

The next SERA Lansing Chapter membership meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 1:30 p.m., at the DELTA TOWNSHIP DISTRICT LIBRARY. [Note: location change.] Our speaker will be Kate Long, from the Tri-County Office on Aging . She will tell us all about the various services and resources available from TCOA. We hope to see you there.

09/06/2026

Good to know - Fall vaccine advice

Most pharmacies in Michigan have received - or are soon to get - shipments of newly formulated vaccines for seasonal flu and COVID-19, and are advertising no-cost immunizations by appointment or on a walk-in basis.

08/31/2026

The September 2, 2026, SERA Lansing Chapter membership meeting will be held at the DELTA TOWNSHIP DISTRICT LIBRARY, 5130 Davenport Dr., Lansing. It starts at 1:30 p.m.

Our speaker will be former East Lansing City Clerk Marie McKenna-Wicks whose presentation "Election Education for Everyday People" provides factual, non-partisan information on how secure and transparent our elections are intended to be.

We hope to see you there!

08/15/2026

THE 2026 ELECTION IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL SECURITY. Ask Michigan's U.S. Senate candidates what their position is about saving Social Security for the future.

2026 is the 91st anniversary for Social Security and a pivotal moment for its future. Social Security is most definitely on the ballot in this year’s midterm elections. In fact, U.S. Senators elected in 2026 still will be in office when the projected trust fund depletion date rolls around in 2032. If nothing is done, Social Security benefits will be reduced by about 20%.

The best way to honor Social Security’s successful 91-year legacy is to vote for candidates who support strengthening the program by bringing in more revenue – not by cutting benefits. If the next Congress listens to the American people and acts accordingly, FDR’s crowning achievement and its 70 million beneficiaries will enjoy many more anniversaries to come.

07/24/2026

MICHIGAN SILVER ALERT BILL SIGNED INTO LAW

SB 456 , sponsored by Sen. Mallory MCMORROW (D-Royal Oak), creating a statewide Silver Alert system for missing seniors and vulnerable adults, was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on July 23, 2026. It will allow the Michigan State Police to send emergency notifications directly to cell phones similar to Amber Alerts for missing children.

Michigan State Employee Retirees Association supported the bill in committee deliberations. Join Michigan SERA to keep up with news affecting state employee retirees and Michigan seniors.

Empowering Your Retirement Journey Stay Informed with SERA News Welcome to the home of the Michigan State Employee Retirees Association ✓ SERA Plus Benefits ✓ SERA Council Directory ✓ REsources for retirees Access article archives UPDATE ON SCRAP THE CAP(ANNUAL COLA IMPROVEMENT FOR DEFINED BEN...

07/24/2026

New Laws Put Guardrails On Moving Senior Wards, Selling Their Homes

(From MIRS News 7-23-26) Guardians will face new restrictions before moving an incapacitated person out of their home or selling their real estate under a bipartisan package signed today by Gov. Gretchen WHITMER.

SB 585, sponsored by Sen. Jeff IRWIN (D-Ann Arbor), requires a recent professional appraisal before a court approves the sale of real estate belonging to a protected individual.

SB 586, sponsored by Sen. Ruth JOHNSON (R-Holly), generally requires a guardian to receive court approval before changing an incapacitated person's residence, with the court determining whether the move is in the individual's best interest.

Both bills were recommendations of the Michigan Attorney General's Elder Abuse Task Force.

Johnson said the legislation grew out of stories from families whose loved ones were removed from their homes without a hearing or notice, sometimes followed by the property being sold for substantially less than its market value.

“This reform is the result of hearing dozens of heartbreaking stories from families who were forced to endure a loved one being removed from their home — without a hearing or notice,” Johnson said. “Compounding the ordeal, the loved one’s home is often sold for well below market value, and families have no voice or recourse.”

Johnson said the new protections are intended to ensure decisions are based on the interests of the person under guardianship rather than the convenience of the guardian.

“With the governor’s signature, these new protections will ensure the best interests of our most vulnerable residents — not the convenience of their guardians — will drive important decisions like moving someone out of their home and selling their house,” she said.

Irwin said requiring an appraisal before property is sold provides another layer of accountability.

“Vulnerable adults placed into guardianship deserve to have their rights protected,” Irwin said. “Now signed into law, my bill requires a professional appraisal before the sale of real estate owned by an adult placed in guardianship. This measure provides accountability and clarity, protecting the assets of people placed under guardianship.”

Johnson called the legislation a bipartisan effort to add “meaningful accountability and oversight” to Michigan’s guardianship system and thanked Irwin for working with her on the package.

The guardianship bills were among a larger collection of public safety and other measures Whitmer signed Wednesday.

07/18/2026

Older adults are more likely to participate in civic activities like voting, donating or attending religious services, while younger adults engage more in online spaces.

Older adults are more likely to participate in civic activities like voting, donating or attending religious services, while younger adults engage more in online spaces.

07/11/2026

A Note from Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum

Greetings all!

The August Primary Election is on August 4th, 2026, and we are now less than a month away. Absentee ballots went out in each community in Ingham County about 2 weeks ago and many more have been requested since, so I thought I might offer a quick explainer!

Michigan voters do not register by party and the August ballot will have both Democrats and Republican columns alongside a non-partisan & proposal section. When voting, voters must “stay in your lane” and vote in the Democratic contests or the Republican contests. If voters cross over and vote for some of each, all of the partisan votes in the Democratic and Republican columns will be invalidated.

Regardless of which partisan column you choose, everyone may vote in the non-partisan & proposal section.

Please note that in Ingham County, all ballots have a front and back side, so make sure to turn the ballot over to vote in all available contests and questions.

If a voted ballot has already been returned and the voter changed their mind, voters have until July 24th to contact their local clerk and ask to spoil that ballot and be sent a new one. If the voter has not yet returned the ballot, the voter may request a new ballot with their local clerk until July 31st.

US mail has been delayed so be sure voted absentee ballots are mailed back to your local clerk as soon as possible. You may also choose to place your absentee ballot in your community’s secure drop box or bring it to the early vote site during the mandatory 9 days of early voting or polling location on Election Day and feed it through the tabulator.

Finally, there have been reports that federal election monitors may be present at some select precinct locations in Lansing and East Lansing. Please know that Michigan elections are safe, secure and accurate. We have over 1500 local clerks, 83 County Clerks and thousands of Democrats and Republicans that serve their neighbors in administrating elections. In addition, there are often watchers from organizations at polling locations. Federal election monitors are not common, but please know your local clerks and I are committed to running safe and secure elections and providing a worry-free experience for voters wishing to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote. If you are concerned on Election Day, please reach out to your local clerk or to me and we will do everything in our power to ensure that the voting process continues to run smooth and easy.

Please feel free to contact me if I may be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
Barb Byrum
Ingham County Clerk

clerk.ingham.org
(517) 676-7201