Retirees could be disappointed in next year's COLA estimate.

The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) aims to help benefits maintain their buying power over time. Because retirees receive benefits for the rest of their lives, this adjustment makes it easier for seniors to rely on their monthly checks even as costs increase.

The official COLA won't be announced until October, as the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses third-quarter inflation data to determine the next year's adjustment. However, some organizations estimate the future COLA based on inflation data for the year so far. Here's why 2026 may be shaping up to be a no-win scenario for retirees.

This is the COLA estimate for 2026

Every month, nonprofit advocacy group The Senior Citizens League releases an est

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