Navigation Government Shutdown May Affect Announcement of Social Security COLA for 2026
The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is always announced in October. However, the federal government shutdown may lead to a delay in the announcement depending on how long the shutdown lasts.
The Social Security COLA is based on data from the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers for the 3rd quarter of the year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is scheduled to release the final month of data for the 3rd quarter on October 15th. However, because of the government shutdown, the release of that data could be delayed. If the CPI data is delayed, Social Security’s COLA announcement would also be delayed.
The latest projections predict the COLA for 2026 to be around 2.7% to 2.8%. If that is true, the average Social Security beneficiary would receive an additional $54 per month.
