The 2026 COLA has not been announced yet

Social Security announces the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for the following year in October of the current year. This means the 2026 COLA will be announced in October 2025. Until that announcement, no one knows the exact percentage increase.

The COLA is calculated using inflation data from the third quarter of the year (July, August, and September). If inflation during those months is higher than it was the year before, the COLA percentage goes up. If inflation is lower, the COLA percentage goes down. The Social Security Administration does not estimate or project the COLA in advance—they wait for the actual numbers.

What you will see in October 2025 is a single percentage that applies to all SSDI payments starting in January 2026. That same percentage applies to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments as well.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2026 COLA will be announced in October 2025 and takes effect on January 1, 2026.
  • The COLA is based on actual inflation data from July through September 2025, not a prediction or estimate.
  • Recent COLA increases have ranged from 3.2% to 8.7%, depending on inflation that year.
  • Your new payment amount will appear in your Social Security account online or in a notice mailed to you in December 2025.

How past COLA increases compare

Looking at recent years shows how much the COLA can vary. In 2024, the COLA was 3.2%. In 2023, it was 8.7%. In 2022, it was 5.9%. In 2021, it was 1.3%. Each year's increase depended entirely on what inflation was doing during that specific three-month window.

This variation is why you cannot reliably predict the 2026 COLA by looking at 2025's increase. Inflation can shift quickly. A COLA that is higher or lower than the previous year tells you something about inflation in that quarter, not about what inflation will be the next year.

When you will find out your new payment amount

Social Security mails a notice called the "Social Security Benefit Statement" to most beneficiaries in early December. This notice shows your new payment amount starting January 1, 2026. If you have a my Social Security account online, you can also log in and see your updated payment amount there, usually around the same time.

Do not expect the notice or online update before October 2025, when the COLA is announced. Social Security cannot calculate your new payment until they know the percentage.

What the increase covers

The COLA applies to your monthly SSDI payment only. It does not explore to Medicare premiums, which are handled separately. Your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums may change in 2026, but those changes follow their own rules and are announced at different times.

If you receive both SSDI and SSI, both payments will increase by the same COLA percentage. If you receive SSDI as a worker and also as a spouse or child on someone else's record, each payment increases by the same percentage.

Why the COLA matters for your budget

The COLA is the only automatic increase most SSDI beneficiaries receive each year. Unlike wages, which may increase based on job performance or market conditions, SSDI payments increase only when the COLA is applied. In years when inflation is very low, the COLA can be 1% or less, meaning your payment barely increases at all.

This is why many beneficiaries plan around the COLA announcement. If you are budgeting for 2026, you may want to wait until December 2025 to finalize plans that depend on knowing your exact payment amount. Some beneficiaries use the average of recent COLAs as a rough planning tool, but that is not a reliable prediction.

How inflation affects the COLA calculation

The COLA is based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). This index tracks the cost of goods and services that people buy regularly—food, housing, transportation, medical care, and utilities. When the CPI-W goes up, the COLA goes up. When it stays flat or goes down, the COLA stays at zero or does not happen.

The CPI-W is published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a federal agency. Social Security uses the average CPI-W for July, August, and September, compares it to the average for the same three months the previous year, and calculates the percentage change. That percentage becomes the COLA.

What to do now if you want to plan ahead

You do not need to do anything to receive the 2026 COLA. It happens automatically. Your payment will increase on January 1, 2026, without any action on your part.

If you want to know the COLA as soon as it is announced, you can check the Social Security website on the day it is released in October 2025, or you can sign up for email updates from Social Security. You can also call Social Security's toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, after the announcement to ask about your specific new payment amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find out the 2026 COLA before October 2025?

No. Social Security does not announce the COLA until October, and no one can predict it accurately before then. Some financial websites publish estimates based on inflation trends, but these are guesses, not official figures. The only official source is the Social Security Administration.

What if inflation goes down—will my payment decrease?

No. SSDI payments never decrease due to the COLA. If inflation is negative or very low, the COLA is straightforward zero, meaning your payment stays the same. Your payment can only stay the same or go up, never go down.

Does the COLA explore to my spouse's or child's payment on my record?

Yes. If your spouse or child receives SSDI based on your work record, their payment increases by the same COLA percentage you receive. Each family member's payment is calculated separately, but the percentage increase is the same for everyone.

Will my Medicare premiums increase by the same amount as my COLA?

Not necessarily. Medicare Part B and Part D premiums are set separately and announced at different times. Your SSDI payment and your Medicare premiums may increase by different percentages. Some years, your SSDI increases but your Medicare premium stays the same.

What should I do if I do not receive a notice about my new payment amount?

Log into your my Social Security account online to check your updated payment amount. If you do not have an account, you can create one at ssa.gov. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to ask about your 2026 payment amount after the COLA is announced in October 2025.