Retirees Being Destroyed | Social Security's 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Is Shaping Up to Be a Lose-Lose Scenario for Retirees

Title: Social Security's 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Is Shaping Up to Be a Lose-Lose Scenario for Retirees

Article Snip: "For most retired Americans, Social Security is more than just a monthly check. It represents a financial foundation that helps them make ends meet. ...CPI-W, shelter and medical care services inflation respectively hit 3.8% and 3.4% on a trailing-12-month basis, ended June 2025. As long as the prevailing rate of inflation for these two critical spending categories remains higher than the COLA beneficiaries receive, the purchasing power of a Social Security dollar seems destined to decline.

But this is just one of two ways retirees appear set to lose in 2026.

In addition to key expense categories rising at a brisk pace, the Medicare Part B premium is projected to soar ...

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Reference: www.fool.com

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Will COLA for Social Security Be Higher in 2026 Due to Tariff Policies?

Title: President Donald Trump's Tariff Policy Likely Comes With Unintended Consequences for Social Security's 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)

Article Snip: "...Since the CPI-W is an inflation-based index, Trump's tariff policies might increase Social Security's 2026 cost-of-living adjustment. ...only the CPI-W readings from the third quarter (July through September) are used to calculate Social Security's COLA. If the average CPI-W reading in the third quarter is higher than during the comparable period of the previous year, inflation has occurred and beneficiaries are due a raise for the upcoming year."

Reference: www.fool.com
CPI-W, 2026 Social Security COLA, Tariff policies vs. COLA,

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