#inflation

SSA announced a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for 2027 on October 14, 2026. A common worry is that delaying your claim means missing raises like this. It doesn't: COLAs apply to your benefit base from age 62 whether you've claimed or not. Here is what 3.6% does at 62, 67 and 70, plus the 2027 earnings test and tax cap.

Streaming and SaaS prices have been climbing well above general inflation since the post-subscriber-growth phase began around 2022. We projected what a 6-12%/year hike rate compounds to.

Headline CPI averages food (3% category weight 14%) with electronics (deflationary, weight 1%). Your bill doesn't average. For low-income households where food is 25%+ of spending, food inflation alone moves personal inflation by 3+ points.

Brokerage statements show nominal returns. Grocery stores charge real prices. The gap between the two compounds over 30 years into hundreds of thousands of missing dollars. Here's how to read your account honestly.

CPI is the average across all US consumers. If your housing share is high, your inflation is higher. If you're an electronics-heavy buyer, it's lower. Three sample profiles show 1.5% to 6.2% personal rates against the same 3% headline.