The 2026 Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) will be announced in October 2025

Social Security benefits increase each year based on inflation, and the amount of that raise is called the cost of living adjustment. The 2026 COLA will be announced on the second Thursday of October 2025 — that's when the Social Security Administration publishes the inflation figure that determines how much larger your monthly check will be starting in January 2026.

The COLA is calculated using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which measures how prices change for everyday goods and services. If inflation has been higher than the year before, the COLA will be larger. If inflation has been lower, the COLA will be smaller. The adjustment applies to all Social Security beneficiaries — retirees, disabled workers, and survivors — at the same rate.

You don't have to do anything to receive the increase. If you're already collecting Social Security, the higher amount will appear in your January 2026 payment automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2026 COLA will be announced in October 2025 and takes effect in January 2026 for all beneficiaries.
  • The adjustment is based on inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index and is the same percentage for everyone receiving Social Security.
  • You receive the increase automatically with no action required on your part.
  • The COLA affects not only your monthly benefit but also the earnings limit for working beneficiaries and the income thresholds for taxation of benefits.

How the COLA is calculated and why it changes year to year

The Social Security Administration compares the average CPI-W for the third quarter of the current year (July, August, September) to the average for the third quarter of the previous year. If that number is higher, the difference becomes the COLA percentage. If inflation has been flat or negative, the COLA is zero — benefits do not decrease.

The COLA varies significantly from year to year because inflation itself varies. In 2022, when inflation spiked, the COLA was 8.7 percent. In 2023, it dropped to 3.2 percent. In 2024, it was 3.2 percent again. The 2025 COLA was 3.2 percent. What the 2026 COLA will be depends entirely on what inflation does between now and September 2025, which no one can predict with certainty.

This is why the exact amount of your 2026 increase is unknown until October. The Social Security Administration does not estimate or project the COLA in advance — it calculates the actual figure once the third-quarter inflation data is final.

What changes when the COLA takes effect

Your monthly Social Security benefit increases by the COLA percentage. If you receive $2,000 per month and the COLA is 2.5 percent, your new benefit will be $2,050 per month starting in January 2026.

The COLA also adjusts several other figures tied to Social Security. The earnings limit for working beneficiaries under full retirement age increases, meaning you can earn more money from work before your benefits are reduced. The maximum benefit amount for new retirees increases. The income thresholds that determine whether your benefits are taxed as income also increase, which may reduce your tax liability if you have other income.

If you're receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in addition to Social Security, your SSI payment may also increase, though SSI follows slightly different rules and timing than regular Social Security benefits.

When you'll see the increase in your bank account

Social Security payments are issued on a schedule based on your birth date. Most beneficiaries receive payments on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of each month. The January 2026 payment that includes your COLA increase will arrive on your regular payment date in January 2026.

If you receive your benefits by direct deposit, the money will go into your bank account on that date. If you receive a paper check, it will arrive by mail according to the standard postal timeline. You should see the higher amount reflected in your payment stub or account statement.

The Social Security Administration will mail a notice to all beneficiaries in December 2025 showing the new benefit amount and the COLA percentage. You can also view your benefit information anytime through your my Social Security account online.

How the COLA affects your taxes on Social Security benefits

If your combined income (adjusted gross income plus nontaxable interest plus half your Social Security benefits) exceeds certain thresholds, a portion of your Social Security benefits may be subject to federal income tax. These thresholds increase each year with the COLA.

For 2025, the thresholds are $25,000 for single filers and $32,000 for married couples filing jointly. In 2026, these thresholds will increase, though the exact amounts won't be known until the COLA is announced. A higher threshold means fewer people will owe tax on their benefits, and those who do owe tax may owe less.

If you currently have taxes withheld from your Social Security check, the withholding amount does not automatically adjust when the COLA takes effect. You can request a change to your withholding through your my Social Security account or by contacting Social Security directly if you want to adjust how much is held.

The difference between COLA and benefit increases from working longer

The COLA is separate from the benefit increase you receive by delaying your claim. If you haven't started Social Security yet, waiting past your full retirement age increases your benefit by roughly 8 percent per year until age 70. That's a different mechanism than the COLA and applies only to your individual benefit, not to all beneficiaries.

Similarly, if you've been working and paying into Social Security, your benefit amount can increase when you report new earnings to Social Security, because your benefit is based on your 35 highest-earning years. The COLA applies on top of whatever your benefit amount is at that time.

What to do if you haven't started Social Security yet

If you're not yet receiving Social Security, the COLA doesn't affect you directly right now, but it does affect the benefit amount you'll receive when you claim. Your benefit is calculated based on your earnings record, and that calculation uses a formula that is adjusted each year for wage growth and inflation. When you eventually claim, your benefit will reflect all the COLAs that have occurred since you stopped working.

The timing of your claim — whether you claim at 62, at full retirement age, or at 70 — is a separate decision from the COLA. The COLA applies to whatever benefit amount you're may have access to to, regardless of when you claim it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find out what my 2026 benefit increase will be before October 2025?

No. The Social Security Administration calculates the COLA only after the third-quarter inflation data is final, which happens in October. You can estimate based on current inflation trends, but the official figure is not released until mid-October 2025. Your my Social Security account will show your new benefit amount after the COLA is announced.

What if I disagree with the COLA amount?

The COLA is determined by a formula based on the Consumer Price Index, which is published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is not a discretionary decision. If you believe the inflation data itself is incorrect, that would be a matter for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not Social Security. Social Security has no authority to adjust the COLA once it is calculated.

Does the COLA apply to my spouse's or child's benefits?

Yes. If you receive benefits as a spouse, widow, or parent of a Social Security beneficiary, or if your child receives benefits based on your record, the COLA applies to those benefits at the same rate as it applies to the primary beneficiary's benefit. Everyone on the same benefit record receives the same percentage increase.

Will the COLA be enough to keep up with my actual costs?

The COLA is based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners, which measures average inflation across the economy. Your personal costs may rise faster or slower than the national average depending on where you live and what you spend money on. Healthcare costs, for example, often rise faster than the overall inflation rate. The COLA is a broad adjustment, not a personalized one.

What happens if there is no COLA in 2026?

If inflation is flat or negative, the COLA is zero and benefits do not increase. This has happened only three times since COLAs began in 1975 — in 2010, 2011, and 2016. Your benefit amount would remain the same from 2025 to 2026. However, the earnings limit for working beneficiaries and the income thresholds for taxation of benefits would still be adjusted based on wage growth, even if the COLA is zero.