The Social Security Administration announces the 2026 COLA in October 2025

The Social Security Administration releases the annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) announcement in October of each year. For 2026, you can expect the announcement sometime in October 2025. The exact date varies year to year — the SSA does not publish a calendar in advance — but it always falls in the second or third week of October.

The COLA is the percentage increase Social Security applies to all benefit payments the following January. It is calculated based on inflation data from the third quarter of the year (July, August, and September). Once announced, the figure is final and applies to all beneficiaries starting with the January payment.

You do not need to do anything when the announcement is made. If you receive Social Security, the new payment amount will straightforward appear in your January 2026 deposit. The SSA mails a notice to all beneficiaries in December showing the new amount.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2026 COLA announcement will occur in October 2025, with the exact date typically falling in the second or third week of the month.
  • The COLA percentage is based on inflation data from July through September 2025 and cannot be predicted in advance.
  • The new benefit amount takes effect automatically in January 2026 for all Social Security recipients.
  • You will receive a notice in December 2025 showing your new monthly payment amount.
  • The announcement affects retirement, survivor, and disability benefits equally.

How the COLA is calculated

The COLA is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), a measure of inflation published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SSA compares the average CPI-W for July, August, and September of the current year to the same three months of the previous year. If inflation occurred, the percentage increase becomes the COLA.

This calculation is automatic and mechanical — there is no discretion involved. If inflation was negative (deflation), the COLA can be zero, meaning no increase. This has happened only three times since COLA began in 1975: in 2010, 2011, and 2016.

Because the COLA depends entirely on inflation data that has not yet been collected, it cannot be predicted with certainty. Financial websites and news outlets often publish estimates in September based on partial data, but these are guesses. The actual figure is unknown until the SSA calculates it in October.

Where to find the announcement

The SSA publishes the COLA announcement on its official website, ssa.gov, in a press release. The announcement typically includes the percentage increase, the effective date, and examples of how the new amount affects different benefit types.

You can also call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 to hear the announcement. The phone line is available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time. If you use a relay service or TTY, call 1-800-325-0778.

Major news outlets report the announcement the same day it is released. If you want to know when ready, checking ssa.gov directly or calling the SSA phone line will give you the official figure before news coverage reaches you.

What happens after the announcement

After the October announcement, the SSA spends November and December processing the increase in its systems and preparing notices. In December, you will receive a notice in the mail showing your new monthly benefit amount starting in January. If you receive your benefit by direct deposit, the new amount will appear automatically in your bank account on your regular payment date in January.

If you have questions about your new amount, you can contact the SSA after you receive your December notice. Do not call before the notice arrives — the SSA's phone lines are extremely busy in November and December, and representatives cannot provide information about your specific new amount until the official notice has been sent.

The new COLA applies to all types of Social Security benefits: retirement, survivor, and disability. If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a different announcement is made in December for SSI payments, which take effect in January as well.

Why the October announcement matters for planning

The October announcement gives beneficiaries and their families time to plan for the new payment amount before it takes effect in January. For people on fixed incomes, knowing the increase helps with budgeting for the new year. Financial advisors and benefits counselors also use the announcement to update their guidance to clients.

The announcement also affects other programs tied to Social Security. Some state and local pensions, veterans benefits, and federal employee benefits use the COLA as a reference point for their own adjustments. Knowing the Social Security figure in October allows those programs to finalize their own changes.

For people planning to claim Social Security in 2026, the COLA announcement does not affect the decision directly, but it does show the current value of benefits. Someone born in 1960 who is considering whether to claim at 65 or wait until 67 can see what the payment will be worth.

Historical COLA amounts and what they show

COLA increases have varied widely over the past decade. In 2022, the COLA was 8.7 percent — the largest increase since 1981 — because inflation spiked after the pandemic. In 2023, it was 8.8 percent. In 2024, it dropped to 3.2 percent. In 2025, it is 3.2 percent again. These figures show that COLA is unpredictable and depends entirely on what happens in the economy.

Years with no increase are rare but possible. If inflation does not occur between the third quarter of one year and the third quarter of the next, the COLA will be zero. This means no increase to benefits. The last time this happened was 2016.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find out the 2026 COLA before October 2025?

No. The COLA is calculated from inflation data that has not yet been collected. Estimates published before October are educated guesses based on partial data, not official figures. The SSA will not announce the actual 2026 COLA until October 2025.

Does the COLA announcement affect when I should claim Social Security?

The announcement itself does not change your claiming decision, but it does show the current value of benefits. If you are deciding whether to claim at 62 or wait until 70, the COLA tells you what the payment is worth. Your decision should be based on your life expectancy, financial need, and other income sources, not on the COLA announcement.

What if I disagree with the COLA calculation?

The COLA is calculated by formula using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There is no appeal or dispute process. If you believe the inflation data itself is wrong, you would need to contact the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the Social Security Administration. In practice, the COLA calculation is not subject to challenge.

Will I receive a notice about the 2026 COLA?

Yes. The SSA mails a notice to all beneficiaries in December 2025 showing the new monthly amount effective January 2026. You do not need to request it. If you have set up a my Social Security account online, you can also view the new amount there before the paper notice arrives.

Does the COLA explore to Supplemental Security Income?

SSI has a separate announcement made in December for SSI payments, which take effect in January. The SSI amount may differ from the Social Security COLA. If you receive both Social Security and SSI, each will increase according to its own formula.