Although the administration paused the rollout for 90 days, economists say the tariffs could fuel inflation, pushing the cola higher. · president donald trump s aggressive tariff policies—targeting china, reshaping supply chains, and redefining global trade flows—are accelerating inflationary forces that will directly influence the 2026 social security cost -of-living adjustment ( cola ). · donald trump s tariffs are having a modest inflationary impact on domestic prices, which is expected to boost the 2026 cola for social security recipients. The forecast for the social security cost of living adjustment ( cola ) in 2026 has been revised upwards, sparking discussions on the potential impact of trump s tariffs. · president trump ’ s “liberation day” tariff plan introduced a baseline 10% tax on most imported goods and higher rates on countries with trade deficits. · based on thursdays slower-than-expected annual march inflation report, the estimated social security cola for 2026 is 2. 2%, according to mary johnson, retired social security policy. · explore how trump s tariffs could affect social security checks in 2026 , how cola and inflation interact, and steps to strengthen your retirement benefits. · social security recipients receive an annual cost-of-living adjustment ( cola ) to ensure benefits increase at the same pace as prices across the economy.
