The Social Security Administration won’t announce the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to benefits until next month, but experts are already making forecasts.
The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) estimates the COLA bump will be 2.7%. That’s up from the 2.5% increase retirees received in 2025, one of the lowest on record. But it’s still shy of the 2.9% increase in inflation recorded between August 2024 and August 2025.
“While a higher COLA would be welcome because their monthly benefits will increase, many will be disappointed,” TSCL executive director Shannon Benton said in a statement. “[Our] research shows that many seniors believe the COLA does not adequately capture the inflation they experience.”
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