When will the 2026 Social Security COLA be announced? When the Social Security Administration SSA announces the 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment COLA on October 10, 2025, 72 million Americans will find out how much their Social Security benefits will increase in 2026.
What is the COLA? Well the COLA, which is tied to inflation as measured by the CPI-W, which is the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, determines how much the monthly payments will rise each January starting in 2026.
Why does the COLA matter for Social Security?
The COLA is very, but really very important for retirees, disabled workers, and survivors to keep up with rising costs. However, the projected increase may fall short of fully meeting the needs of these groups. How much will the COLA be in 2026? Analysts expect the 2026 COLA to be 2.7%, a slight uptick from the 2.5% increase in 2025.
The Senior Citizens League, a leading advocacy group, projects this figure based on third quarter 2025 CPI W data, with some estimates ranging from 2.6% to 2.8%.
The calculation compares the average CPI W from July to September 2025 to the same period in 2024. If inflation trends stay consistent, the 2.7% estimate is likely, though unexpected spikes in prices could push it higher, as happened in 2023 when the COLA spiked to 8.7% during a period of extreme inflation.
What does this mean for the average Social Security recipient?
For the average retired worker, who will earn about $1,920 a month in 2025, a 2.7% COLA would increase their monthly check by about $52, or $624 per year. Couples, both of whom are receiving benefits, with an average monthly check of about $3,014, would see their benefit increase by about $81.
Disabled workers, who have an average monthly benefit of about $1,542, would see their check increase by about $42 a month.
Recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is available to 7.5 million low income Americans, would see their maximum individual payment of $943 rise to about 9$68, starting in December 31, 2025.
The maximum Social Security after COLA 2026
These numbers are only estimates, because the actual increase will depend on how benefits are calculated for each person, which depends on their earnings history and when they start claiming benefits. The 2.7% increase may be a sign that inflation is cooling, but it may not be enough to cover costs specific to retirees. Healthcare expenses, which are a significant burden for most seniors, increased by 4.8% a year.
Housing costs increased by 5.2%. Medicare Part B premiums, which are deducted from Social Security checks for most beneficiaries, are expected to increase from $174.70 in 2025 to $And with midterm elections looming, seniors 25% of voters are a key focus. But no big changes are expected before 2026. How can retirees prepare? Experts say retirees should squeeze their resources as much as they can. Check if you qualify for programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is worth up to 7,000 for low income seniors.
Delaying claiming Social Security until age 70 increases benefits by 8% a year after your full retirement age. Use savings, like Treasury Inflation Protected Securities TIPS , to hedge against inflation. Check your SSA account online to make sure your benefits are being calculated correctly. The average age of retirement after the COLA 2026 If you’re planning to retire right after turning 62, the maximum Social Security benefit in 2026 could be about $2,907 a month after the 2.7% COLA. That’s up from $2,831 in 2025.
For folks born in 1960 or later, reaching full retirement age at 67 will get you the full primary insurance amount, which tops out at around $4,152 a month in 2026 with the COLA boost from $4,043 last year. No penalties or bonuses here. Waiting until age 70 maximizes your payout with 8% a year in delayed credits, pushing the 2026 maximum to about $5,246 a month from $5,108 in 2025.