Social Security's Latest 2026 COLA Estimate Is 2.7%, but That Doesn't Tell the Whole Story

There's a reason Social Security benefits are eligible for an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) every year. Without those boosts, Social Security benefits would easily fall behind inflation, leaving millions of seniors in the lurch. Instead, each October, the Social Security Administration (SSA) makes a COLA announcement once September's inflation readings become available.Social Security COLAs are based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) during the months of July, August, and September specifically. This year, September's CPI-W is expected to get announced on Oct. 15, after which the SSA can share an official 2026 COLA.Image source: Getty Images.Continue readingWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool