COLA
Some harsh truths about the COLA
The 2026 Cost-of-living allowance (COLA) will be announced next month. Many seniors see this as a raise, but it is far from that. COLA is solely meant to keep pace with the impact of inflation, so you don’t lose buying…
Why doesn’t COLA Keep up with Inflation?
It happens every year. Here at the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory Service we start receiving questions about next year’s Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) in mid- to late-September. Sometimes the inquiries come from reporters seeking inside information to include in an…
Is a Big Cost-of-Living Increase Really a Good Thing?
The Cost-of-Living Increase (COLA) grows as inflation grows. Estimates for the COLA increase in 2026 are now rising, with some saying as high as 2.7%. Inflation had started slowing down at the beginning of the year and is now rising…
Why COLA estimates are often wrong
You may have seen the headlines on the latest estimates for the 2026 cost-of-living adjustments (COLA); however, do you know how Social Security calculates it? COLAs are based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and…
Some Social Rule Changes Could Benefit Seniors
There’s no question that the Social Security rulebook is complex. Of course, you need rules to manage a program affecting 75 million people. Still, sometimes it becomes obvious to many that there are specific directives that ought to be examined…
Time to think about next year’s Social Security COLA.
We’re still about two months away from an official announcement, but the media airwaves are popping with estimates of what next year’s adjustment will be. Some projections put the increase at 2.5%, others leaning toward 2.6% or 2.7%, but it’s…
Accuracy of 2025 COLA could be in question
This article by Trevor Jennewine for The Motley Fool postulates that President Trump’s federal employee hiring freeze may affect the amount of the 2025 COLA. Of course, this could go either way, either higher or lower than it should be.…
The Hold Harmless rule – Why Medicare increases will not Lower your Social Security
Most years a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increases Social Security recipient’s payments. However, depending on the accompanying increase to Medicare Part B, that increase may be offset. Gabriela Leon for msn explains how the Hold Harmless rule will keep…
Basics of the Social Security Cost of Living (COLA) increase
Generally, the COLA is an increase in Social Security benefits that usually occurs each year. It is announced in October, effective in December and shows up in payments in January. Read this article by DJ Wilson for AMAC for a…
No Surprise! Most unhappy with their Social Security payments
Although not exactly a blockbuster finding, a recent survey found that by far the majority of seniors are dissatisfied with their monthly Social Security payment. That, of course, is the result of runaway inflation in the past several years, which…