Cost-of-Living Adjustment Announcement Set for October 24

Washington, D.C. — Seniors are encouraged to mark their calendars for October 24, when the Social Security Administration will announce the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The announcement will follow the release of the September Consumer Price Index (CPI), scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET on the same day.

This year’s COLA announcement is particularly significant as it relies heavily on the inflation report for September. Due to a government shutdown that began on October 1, the CPI report was delayed. This delay means that without the September inflation figure, the annual COLA cannot be calculated. Johnson noted that the preliminary data from August showed a Social Security benefit increase of 2.8%, which is slightly higher than the 2.7% recorded the previous month.

The average monthly Social Security benefit was $1,864.87 in August. If a 2.8% COLA is confirmed, it would translate to an increase of just over $52 each month. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) stated that the September CPI report was prioritized to avoid further delays in COLA announcements. “No other releases will be rescheduled or produced until the resumption of regular government services,” the BLS said in a statement.

During the government shutdown, approximately half of the BLS’s workforce, around 2,055 employees, were furloughed. On October 9, the Office of Management and Budget instructed the BLS to recall employees to work on the September CPI report, yet no new dates have been established for other essential reports that were also postponed.

This situation marks the second time the annual COLA announcement has faced delays due to a government shutdown, the last instance occurring in October 2013. During that shutdown, which lasted 16 days, the September CPI report was issued after the government resumed operations. As of August, over 74.5 million people were benefiting from Social Security, covering retired workers, disabled individuals, survivors of deceased workers, and those on Supplemental Security Income.