A 3.2% cost-of-living increase adds about $50 a month for many retirees, with similar bumps for disability and SSI. But rising costs quickly erase it, making the boost feel like survival, not progress.
Behind the numbers are people juggling essentials, choosing what to cut next. The hardest truth isn’t just how small the increase is—it’s that even when the system works, many are still one setback from falling behind.
