Which benefit is primarily impacted by inflation after retirement?

The benefit that is primarily impacted by inflation after retirement is pension benefits adjusted by cost of living formulas. This is because pensions that include cost of living adjustments (COLAs) are specifically designed to provide retirees with an income that maintains its purchasing power over time, despite the effects of inflation.

When inflation rises, the real value of fixed income decreases, meaning that the purchasing power diminishes. Therefore, pension plans that incorporate COLAs respond to this by increasing the benefit amounts in accordance with inflation rates. This mechanism is crucial for retirees to ensure that their benefits can keep pace with rising prices, enabling them to cover their living expenses without losing financial ground due to inflation.

While Social Security benefits do adjust for inflation as well, the question specifically asks about benefits that are primarily impacted, where pension funds with COLAs specifically target this aspect. Employee salary raises and health care reimbursements can be influenced by inflation, but they do not pertain directly to retirement benefits or persistent income streams for retirees like pension benefits do.