The Social Security annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 is 2.8%, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced on Friday, October 24. This is among the smallest COLA increases since 2020, as expected, and follows a 2.5% increase in 2025. According to the SSA, the 2.8% increase will translate to an additional $56 for the average retiree, resulting in an average monthly check of $2,071, up from $2,015 in 2025. Married couples will see an average increase of $88, raising their monthly benefit to $3,208 from $3,120 in 2025.
The 2026 COLA was originally scheduled to be released on October 15 and was delayed due to the impact of the government shutdown. Although the shutdown is ongoing, some employees at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) were recalled to prepare the September Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is essential to computing the 2026 COLA. CPI was also released on October 24.
