Capital DailyCapital Daily
Finance

How COLAs Are Calculated -- and Why the Formula May Not Reflect What You Actually Pay

Fixing this could help seniors' Social Security benefits go further.

How COLAs Are Calculated -- and Why the Formula May Not Reflect What You Actually Pay

Published July 2, 2026 · Category: Finance

Overview

If you've been on Social Security for a few years, you've probably settled into a familiar pattern: You eagerly anticipate the next year's cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), but when the benefit boost arrives, you don't feel like you're actually getting ahead, or even keeping up with where you were. So you set your sights on the next year's COLA, hoping that one will be better.

You're not alone in doing this, and you're not imagining things, either. There's a real reason your COLAs don't seem like they're keeping pace with your expenses, and it has to do with how the Social Security Administration calculates them in the first place.

Image source: Getty Images.

Details

Continue reading

Source

Originally published at www.fool.com.

Related Articles

CD
Capital Daily Newsroom

Capital Daily covers markets, crypto and commodities for Asia & the Middle East — tier-1 desk research, AI-driven analysis, institutional-grade data. Tip our newsroom: [email protected]

Email the newsroom →
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Data may be delayed up to 15 minutes. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.