Is a 2.8% Social Security Increase Enough? Washington’s Failure to Protect Retirees Continues

Every year, hardworking Americans who have contributed their payroll taxes to Social Security anxiously await news of the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). This year, the Social Security Administration declared a modest 2.8% increase in benefits effective January 2026, translating to an average boost of just over $56 per month for nearly 71 million recipients. At first glance, this may appear helpful. However, for many seniors like Linda Deas from Florence, South Carolina, it’s hardly adequate. As someone who has witnessed soaring housing costs—her rent alone surged by $400 monthly over two years—Deas exemplifies the reality confronting countless Americans on fixed...