Tue Oct 28 13:40:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:
Social Security Benefits to See 2.8% Increase in 2026
Washington D.C. – Social Security Administration officials announced Friday that beneficiaries will see a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2026. This increase, slightly higher than the 2.5% COLA implemented in 2025, will impact nearly 71 million Americans receiving Social Security, as well as military retirees and veterans receiving benefits.
The increase, which goes into effect in January, will translate to an average monthly benefit increase of approximately $56, according to officials. For example, a military retiree receiving $2,500 in retired pay can expect an increase of about $70 per month. Veterans receiving $1,500 per month in benefits will see an increase of roughly $42.
The COLA announcement was delayed by nine days due to the recent government shutdown. The annual adjustment is designed to help benefits keep pace with inflation, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
“This COLA ensures that Social Security and Veterans’ benefits maintain their purchasing power in the face of rising prices,” said a spokesperson for the Social Security Administration. “It’s a vital mechanism for protecting the financial well-being of millions of Americans.”
Recent COLA increases include 3.2% in 2023, 8.7% in 2022, 5.9% in 2021 and 1.6% in 2020.
Recipients will begin receiving notifications of their new benefit amounts by mail starting in early December. Congress passed legislation that ties increases in veterans’ benefits to the rate of Social Security increases in 2024. The cost-of-living increase applies to disability compensation, clothing allowances and dependency and indemnity benefits, as well as some other VA assistance programs.
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