The long-awaited announcement date has been released
Weeks of uncertainty on, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has finally come out with an updated publication date for the 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). The publication, originally scheduled for October 15, got delayed as a result of the current government shutdown. The shutdown resulted in a temporary halt of operations in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) — the government agency responsible for releasing the inflation data that goes into determining the COLA.
Now, the SSA formally issued a statement that the October 24, 2025, new COLA announcement is set.
The news comes as welcome relief to over 70 million Americans who rely on Social Security benefits, as the annual COLA will determine how much their benefits will increase in 2026 to match inflation and the increasing cost of living.
Why does the delay occur
Well, you should know that this delay is because the BLS, the government department that computes the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, refrained from releasing the September report. It is a measure of inflation and is most crucial to the SSA in calculating by how much the benefits should increase every year.
An SSA spokesperson explained to Newsweek, “The Bureau of Labor Statistics is making it public that they will publish the September 2025 Consumer Price Index on October 24. The Social Security Administration will be basing this announcement in an effort to compute and publish the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment on the same date.”
Despite the government shutdown, SSA once more asserted that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will not be cut off and will begin being released after considering the new adjustment on January 1, 2026.
How COLA is calculated
Each year, SSA computes the COLA based on variation in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The index measures city employees’ typical purchase price change.
Although the CPI-W will not exactly replicate retirees’ budgets — they pay more for health care and less for vacation travel — it is the standard benchmark applied to Social Security benefit increases.
The computation is done with figures for July, August, and September, which explains why September’s CPI report is so crucial. These monthly COLA increases since 1975 have kept benefits in step with inflation on day-to-day living costs such as housing, groceries, and doctor visits.
What to expect for 2026
How big an increase would benefits be next year?
Based on estimates by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), the 2026 COLA will be around 2.7%.
That’s a relatively modest jump compared to recent years — e.g., 8.7% in 2023 — but still significant for millions of retirees, disabled beneficiaries, and families who get survivor benefits.
Since the COLA announcement is soon to hit the newsstands, America’s seniors are crossing their fingers,” TSCL Executive Director Shannon Benton announced. “The size of their monthly check would be increased by a larger COLA, but there are some who will be upset. Our information confirms that many seniors believe the COLA doesn’t keep pace with the inflation they experience.
That’s because older Americans pay more for items like prescription medication, rent, and utility payments — expenses that may grow more quickly than the overall rate of inflation.
Must read: Bad news for retirees as Government shutdown impacts 2026 COLA
Who will benefit from the increase?
All Social Security benefits will receive the COLA, including:
- Retirement benefits, including spouses, are based on a spouse’s earnings record
- Survivor benefits for the survivors of workers
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to low-income beneficiaries
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to disabled employees and dependents
All of these will be increased from January 2026, thereby allowing the beneficiaries to cash in on their increased checks as soon as possible.
Looking ahead
COLA adjustment is one of the most eagerly awaited releases of the year, given that it has a direct impact on the cash welfare of millions of Americans.
With the new date of October 24, recipients won’t have to wait long to discover just how much more money they’ll have come 2026.
While the increase won’t cover every rising cost, it does provide relief—keeping seniors, disabled people, and families afloat as prices have a tendency to spill over into next year.
