Sun Sep 21 22:30:00 UTC 2025: **Social Security COLA for 2026 Predicted to Be Around 2.7%, Experts Say**
**Washington D.C.** – Millions of Americans receiving Social Security benefits can expect a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of approximately 2.7% in 2026, according to early estimates. The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) released its forecast ahead of the official announcement from the Social Security Administration (SSA), scheduled for October 15, 2025.
If the TSCL prediction holds true, the 2026 COLA would be a slight increase from the 2.5% bump seen in 2025. However, Shannon Benton, executive director of TSCL, cautioned that the increase might still fall short of covering the actual inflation experienced by many seniors. “[Our] research shows that many seniors believe the COLA does not adequately capture the inflation they experience.”
Independent policy analyst Mary Johnson is slightly more optimistic, projecting a 2.8% COLA. A 2.7% increase would translate to roughly a $54 increase in the average monthly benefit check, raising it from $2,008 to $2,062. Johnson’s prediction of 2.8% COLA would bump the average benefit check by about $56 per month.
The SSA calculates the annual COLA based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) between the third quarter of the current year and the third quarter of the previous year. The COLA will then be applied to Social Security benefits beginning in January 2026.
Beyond the COLA, several other changes are coming to Social Security in 2026:
* **Full Retirement Age:** The full retirement age will increase to 67 for those born in 1960 or later.
* **Taxable Earnings Limit:** The maximum taxable earnings limit for Social Security is expected to rise to $183,600, a $7,500 increase from 2025.
* **Earnings Test:** Beneficiaries will be able to earn more income while still collecting benefits without impacting their Social Security payments.
The official 2026 COLA and wage base will be announced in October, following the release of CPI-W data for September 2025.
Social Security benefits have been taxable since 1984, and whether your benefits are taxed depends on how much you earn. If your income is under $25,000 ($32,000 for married couples), your benefits are not taxed. If you earn between $25,000 and $34,000 as a single filer (between $32,000 and $44,000 as a married couple), up to half of your benefits can be taxed. And if you earn above $34,000 ($44,000 for married couples), up to 85% of your benefits can be taxed.
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