Social Security benefits will increase by 2.8 percent in 2026, federal officials have announced, with the inflation-related adjustment boosting payments for an estimated 75 million Americans.
The 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment—known as COLA—was announced by the Social Security Administration (SSA) on Oct. 24, the same day that government data on inflation were released. It affects both Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments.
On average, Social Security retirement benefits will rise by around $56 per month due to the adjustment.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which normally releases inflation figures on a monthly basis, said in early October that it would publish September’s Consumer Price Index data—which is used to calculate the Social Security benefit adjustment—on Oct. 24 to allow the SSA to meet statutory deadlines necessary to ensure the accurate and timely payment of benefits. BLS added that no other inflation data releases would be published until the government shutdown ends….