The Social Security Administration’s 2.8% Cost-of-Living Adjustment will lift the average retired worker’s monthly benefit to about $2,071, roughly $56 more than today. For over 70 million retirees, disabled individuals, and survivors, that bump will matter: it may mean one more prescription filled, a utility bill paid on time, or a little less fear at the end of the month.

Yet the promise of protection against inflation has limits. Rising prices for food, housing, and healthcare often outpace these annual adjustments, leaving people on fixed incomes still struggling to keep up. The COLA is a lifeline, not a windfall. Beneficiaries will receive updated notices in December, outlining their new amounts. Between now and then, many will be forced to confront a hard truth: in today’s economy, even good news can feel painfully small.