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2026 Social Security COLA Update

2026 Social Security COLA Update

Throughout the year, the Senior Citizens League, a non-profit advocacy group, monitors inflation and issues forecasts on what the Cost-of-Living Adjustment for Social Security may be for the next year.

SCL’s latest projections show the COLA for 2026 to be 2.7 percent, or slightly above the current COLA of 2.5 percent.

By the Numbers: This would add $54 to the average Social Security check.

  • The government bases the COLA on changes in average third-quarter inflation data from one year to the next as determined by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

What’s next: The Social Security Administration will announce the official COLA for 2026 on October 10.

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Darryl Hicks

Darryl Hicks is Vice President of Communications for the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association. In this capacity, Hicks writes for NRMLA's publications, manages the association's web sites and social media accounts, assists committees and the Board of Directors, and manages the Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional designation. Prior to joining NRMLA in 1999, Hicks spent three years in the Washington, D.C. bureau for National Mortgage News.