Millions of Social Security beneficiaries received a 2.5% boost to their benefits in 2025, thanks to an annual cost-of-living adjustment that went into effect in January.
In 2026, Social Security checks may go up by the same amount — 2.5% — based on the latest government inflation data, according to new estimates from both The Senior Citizens League and Mary Johnson, an independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst.
That is up from the 2.4% increase for 2026 that those sources forecast last month. A 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment would be “about average,” according to Johnson.
The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, is an annual adjustment to benefits aimed at helping to ensure monthly checks keep pace with inflation.
The COLA for the following year is calculated based on third quarter inflation data. The official change is typically announced by the Social Security Administration in October.
