Social Security’s 2026 COLA is set to make history, with estimates projecting a 2.6% to 2.7% increase in benefits, marking five consecutive years of above-average adjustments. However, the critical silver lining that helped beneficiaries in 2023 will be absent for a third year in a row. The COLA aims to maintain purchasing power for retirees, but flaws in the CPI-W calculation have led to a 20% decline in the value of Social Security dollars since 2010. Additionally, rising Medicare Part B premiums are expected to offset any COLA gains in 2026, impacting retirees’ buying power.

Read more at Nasdaq: Social Security’s 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Is Missing an Important Silver Lining for a Third Straight Year