Hint: It's a change that will affect you even if you're not receiving benefits.There's a reason so many seniors on Social Security eagerly await news of a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, announcement each year. Those raises are crucial in helping retirees maintain their buying power over time.Social Security COLAs are based on inflation. When there's an increase in inflation from one year to the next, benefits are eligible for a boost. But Social Security benefits themselves aren't the only thing that g ...