When $50 Costs You $500: The Coming Social Security ‘Income Cliff’

If you’re one of the 71 million Americans receiving Social Security, you’re about to get a raise. In October, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026. For the average retired worker, this translates to an extra $56 per month. On the surface, that sounds like a win. But for thousands of middle-income seniors, that modest $50-a-month…