A date that could bring news about your benefits
For millions of Americans who depend on Social Security, October 15, 2025, is an important date to keep in mind. On that day, the government will release the information that decides how much your monthly benefits will increase in 2026. While retirement usually means fewer deadlines and appointments, this is one you’ll want to highlight on your calendar.
Why October 15 matters
Every year in the fall, the Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for the upcoming year. COLAs are small raises to monthly benefits that are designed to enable retirees to keep up with rising costs in the economy.
The COLA is calculated based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), a measure of inflation. Instead of using figures for the full year, though, the SSA uses July, August, and September only. The inflation figures for the three months are then matched against those for the same months last year.
October 15 is when the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will release the final inflation numbers for September. As soon as that comes out, the SSA will have all it needs to calculate the new COLA. That means Social Security recipients will soon enough know what their 2026 increase will be.
Where to look for the announcement
The official announcement typically happens later in the morning on the same day the inflation numbers are released. The SSA posts the update on its Communications Corner webpage, where you’ll likely see a headline such as “Social Security Announces X.X Percent Benefit Increase for 2026.”
If you want the news straight from the horse’s mouth, that is the source to use. But you won’t be waiting for a long period—big news outlets and financial websites will be quick to post the news and explain what it will do for retirees.
What experts are expecting
The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), an advocacy group for older Americans, has estimated the 2026 COLA at approximately 2.7%. That is slightly more than the 2.5% increase retirees received this year and a touch above the 21st-century norm of 2.6%.
A 2.7% rise is less than the enormous fluctuations that take place in years of hyperinflation, but it does provide an added little something to help seniors keep pace with higher food, housing, and medical expenses.
The Medicare effect
There’s one important fact that retirees should remember: not all of the COLA increase ends up in your wallet. For most beneficiaries, Medicare Part B premiums are deducted from Social Security benefits automatically.
Medicare Part B premiums will rise by an estimated 11.6% in 2026, a sum that could devour nearly 40% of the extra money a 2.7% COLA brings to the average Social Security recipient.
So even as October 15 might be cause for celebration, retirees should realize that the net increase may be less than the number in the headline suggests.
Read this later:
COLA forecast may push 2026 average Social Security check to $2,062
Why COLAs matter
For many older Americans, Social Security is their only source of income. Higher inflation can make it difficult to cover basic costs, and that is why COLAs are so important. Small increases can cover a long way of paying for higher food charges, prescription medication, electricity, and transportation.
Without those annual increases, retirees’ purchasing power erodes over time, so it would become ever harder to maintain an even level of living. That’s why the announcement of COLA in October is so highly looked forward to.
What retirees need to do now
You don’t need to do anything before October 15. The COLA is automatically added to your benefit starting in January 2026. Although, it may be wise to:
- Stay current: Go to the SSA website or credible news sources on October 15.
- Check your finances: Budget for the reality that Medicare spending could cover part of the boost.
- Plan ahead: Consider how a modest boost in benefits could pay for next year’s bill.
Looking ahead
While the actual percentage won’t be known until October 15, this is what you can be sure of: the COLA announcement is a calendar date to remember for every retiree. It’s a time to find out how much more assistance you’ll receive next year.
Retirement may set you free from deadlines, but as far as Social Security is concerned, this is one deadline not to ignore.
