The 2026 Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) has been officially announced.
Social Security recipients will now be getting an additional 2.8 percent on their benefit checks, which equates to about an extra $56. This announcement was highly anticipated all year, and especially recently after a government shutdown delayed it.
Here at the Council for Retirement Security, we feel it’s important to set the record straight about the COLA.
Is the 2026 Social Security COLA High Enough?
The Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is calculated each year to help Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits keep pace with inflation. The formula is based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which measures changes in the price of everyday goods and services—like food, housing, transportation, and healthcare.
Specifically, the Social Security Administration compares the average CPI-W from the third quarter (July, August, and September) of the current year to the same period from the previous year. If there’s an increase, that percentage becomes the COLA for the following year, ensuring that benefits maintain their purchasing power as the cost of living rises.
It’s important to remember the COLA is not a gift or an act of goodwill. These adjustments are necessary to bring benefit amounts to where they should be. Think of a COLA as a “correction,” designed to bring benefits to their rightful level. But is the 2026 COLA enough?
As we’ve covered, some seniors still face challenges in the economy. Higher benefit amounts can be a lifeline and a true difference-maker in retirement. And even for affluent seniors, these adjustments are necessary. After all, we’ve all paid into this program. We all deserve to be paid back in full.
What are your thoughts on the 2026 Social Security COLA? Do you feel the 2.8 percent adjustment is high enough? Will it make a difference for you? Let us know in the comments. Also, be sure to bookmark us for continued COLA coverage and more Social Security news.
