India, Feb. 15 -- Retirees in the U.S. are increasingly looking for ways to stretch their Social Security benefits further as inflation and the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) remain ineffective.

The national COLA for 2026 is 2.8%. However, states may differ in the actual monetary increase that retirees get.

Since over 65 million Americans depend on Social Security for a sizable amount of their retirement income, where they live can have a substantial impact on their net income and standard of living.

According to Finance Buzz, in many states, stretching Social Security benefits is easier than in others due to local laws, taxes, and other considerations. Hence, everyone will receive the same percentage rise, but states with higher av...