Free at the agency. Paid in the ad.

Ad: “WEP repealed — we file your Social Security Fairness refund / get your back pay now.” P.L. 118-273 (Social Security Fairness Act), signed Jan 5, 2025, ends WEP and GPO for benefits payable after December 2023. SSA began adjusting monthly payments Feb 25, 2025; as of July 7, 2025 it reported completing over 3.1 million payments totaling $17 billion. SSA’s page: if you already receive benefits reduced by WEP/GPO and SSA has your address and direct deposit, “no other actions are needed.” New applicants may need to file; retroactivity for some claims is still limited by existing Social Security Act rules (generally six months for many retirement/spouse claims). SSA will never ask you to pay to start, increase, or expedite benefits.

Ad: “Government matches 50% of your IRA this year — claim your Saver’s Match now.” SECURE 2.0 §103; IRC §6433. IRS: “You don’t need to do anything in 2026. The Saver’s Match applies to retirement contributions you’ll make starting in 2027.” Eligible 2027 contributions are claimed on the 2027 return filed in 2028 (Form 8880-A). Match is up to 50% of contributions, up to $1,000 per person, with MAGI phaseouts published on IRS.gov. Replaces the Saver’s Credit for most retirement/IRA contributions starting tax year 2027; ABLE contributions can still use the Saver’s Credit. Ads that say the IRS is matching 2026 IRA deposits are early.

Ad: “ERC still open — apply now / we determine eligibility in minutes / nothing to lose.” ERC was for qualified wages paid after March 12, 2020, and before Jan 1, 2022 (eligibility and amounts vary by quarter). It is claimed on an original or adjusted employment tax return for those periods — not a 2026 “application.” IRS: “Employers should be wary of ERC advertisements that advise them to ‘apply’ for money by claiming the ERC when they may not qualify.” Incorrect claims can mean repayment, interest, and penalties. Residual claims from prior periods are still being processed and audited; that is not a new live credit for current wages.

Ad: “IRS-approved gold IRA / tax-free gold / take physical delivery at home.” IRS: “Although there is no list of approved investments for retirement plans…” Collectibles are generally barred in IRAs; investing IRA funds in collectibles is treated as a distribution (possible 10% additional tax if under 59½). Limited exception for certain coins/bullion meeting IRC §408(m) fineness rules — and bullion must be in the physical possession of a bank or an IRS-approved nonbank trustee, not your house. “IRS-approved gold” as a product endorsement is the ad, not the Code.

Ad: “Medicare drug costs capped at $2,000 / insulin only $35 a month.” Medicare.gov for 2026: out-of-pocket spending on covered Part D drugs reaches $2,100 (not $2,000) in the initial coverage stage, then catastrophic coverage with $0 out-of-pocket for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year. Deductible may not exceed $615 in 2026. Covered Part B and Part D insulin: no more than $35 for a one-month supply of each covered insulin product; deductible does not apply to that insulin. A three-month supply is generally capped at $35 per month’s supply per product. “Medicare grocery card for every senior” is a different pitch — see item 7.

Ad: “$25,000 first-generation homebuyer grant — apply today / federal down-payment check.” S.967 / H.R.4069 (Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2025) — introduced; referred to committee; not enacted. Congress.gov tracker for S.967 remains “Introduced” (latest action Mar 11, 2025: referred to Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs). FTC: government will not contact you out of the blue about grants for personal housing needs; real federal grants require an application and are listed free at grants.gov; never pay upfront fees. State/local down-payment programs can still be real — check your state housing finance agency, not a cold ad.

Ad: “Medicare is sending grocery cards / $900 food allowance — call to claim.” CMS terminated the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model at the end of 2025 (performance period ended Dec 31, 2025). That model was the broad path many plans used for grocery/food and similar supplemental benefits. Original Medicare does not mail a federal grocery card. Some Medicare Advantage plans may still offer limited food/OTC benefits under other rules (often Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill), plan-specific and not automatic for every enrollee. Unsolicited “claim your card” ads that ask for Medicare numbers are the usual impersonation pattern — verify on Medicare.gov / 1-800-MEDICARE, not the ad’s phone number.