Suze Orman says Social Security is one of your 'most powerful tools' to fight inflation — but only if you delay using it

Fortunately, Suze Orman says you’ve already got some protection waiting in the wings. In a recent blog post, Orman identified Social Security as “one of the most powerful tools you have to deal with inflation.”

“Your retirement benefit is adjusted every year to keep pace with rising prices. That’s a guaranteed increase any year there is inflation. Your 401(k) and IRA don’t come with a guaranteed inflation adjustment, and most pension payments don’t rise with inflation either,” Orman explained.

But in order to get the most out of this tool, you’ll need to be patient. Here’s why Orman argues if you want to maximize your monthly check’s inflation-fighting power, retirees in good health should consider delaying drawing their benefits as long as possible.

Why delay your Social Security benefit?

In short, delaying your Social Security benefits increases the amount you get when you do start cashing them in. For anyone born 1943 or later, you get an 8% 12-month rate of increase for each year past your full retirement age — 66 or 67 depending on what year you were born — that you wait to retire, up until age 70.

By delaying your benefit, you become eligible for these “delayed retirement credits” which then increase your monthly payout. While we don’t know the COLA for 2027 yet, the 2026 adjustment was 2.8%. In her blog post, Orman says current estimates suggest next year’s COLA could be above 4.5%.

And while delaying claiming your benefits doesn’t entitle you to a higher COLA percentage, increasing your base benefit does compound the value of your future COLA increases. That’s because even if you aren’t retired or collecting benefits yet, once you turn 62, each annual COLA is added to your benefit record. Once you actually start collecting your check, you’ll be able to enjoy the perks of those compounded annual adjustments.

According to government data, the 2025 COLA raised the estimated average monthly benefit amount received in January 2026 by $56, from $2,015 to $2,071.

Not everyone follows Suze Orman’s advice

And yet the data shows many Americans aren’t following Orman’s advice. Data from the Social Security Administration shows that as of 2025, 22% of new Social Security beneficiaries claimed their benefits at the earliest possible age, while only about 8% waited until 70 to claim their checks. The majority of Americans (33%) are claiming Social Security at age 66.

Orman also makes an important qualification in her post: This is advice for those nearing retirement and still in good health. That’s because there are some hidden risks that come along with delaying your benefit. Relying on your own savings until 70 could see you depleting your coffers much sooner than you’d expected. Or you could face health concerns that could significantly limit the time you get to enjoy those full benefits.

As with any financial advice, even Orman’s has caveats. But if you feel like you have good financial standing to support you and a clean bill of health across your family’s history, then you might want to take her up on this chance to fight inflation and have more money in your pocket.