October 24, Thursday, could become an important day in 2025 for millions of Americans as they are poised to receive key updates about Social Security benefits, even during the federal government shutdown.
The Social Security Administration and the government could release the data that is necessary to calculate the COLA, Cost-of-Living Adjustment, for 2026 and the yearly benefit increase that helps keep payments in line with inflation.
Social Security COLA Delay: Due to a government shutdown, the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment announcement is postponed to October 24. Projections suggest a 2.7% increase, up slightly from 2025’s 2.5% pic.twitter.com/0D3ri4f6r4
— Tracy (@angelsfly_143) October 19, 2025
The Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) usually releases the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) around mid-October, which is then used by SSA to calculate the COLA. This data was to be announced on October 15; however, it got delayed due to the government shutdown.
The announcement date is significant because once COLA is released, it helps retirees and other beneficiaries estimate the apparent hike in Social Security benefits.
Consequently, the SSA confirmed the adjustment will now be officially revealed on October 24.
There are more than 70 million Americans who rely on Social Security payments. These include retirees, surviving spouses, and disabled workers. The COLA will determine how much more these beneficiaries, recipients will receive starting January 1, 2026.
COLA is calculated and implemented to help the beneficiaries fight inflation. However, without it, their payments won’t keep pace with rising costs for essentials like food, housing, and healthcare.
The social security payments themselves remain unaffected due to the government shutdown. The checks so far were sent out on time. However, the data from the BLS was delayed, which in turn will delay the COLA adjustment calculation.
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As Congress works to pass a new federal budget, the government is currently shut down. We know this raises questions. We have answers to the most commonly asked questions…— JoEllen Clayton (@JoEllenClayto19) October 21, 2025
However, the Social Security Administration announced last week that the BLS data is expected to be released on Oct 24, and COLA calculations will be released on the same day.
There are several advocacy groups, like The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), that are already projecting a modest rise. Their latest estimate is 2.7 percent for 2026. However, it is lower than in recent years and could be lost to the increased Medicare premium.
TSCL Executive Director Shannon Benton has warned that many seniors might feel the COLA formula doesn’t fully reflect the inflation they see in real life.
It has been calculated that if the adjustment matches the inflation projections or beats them, each beneficiary could receive an extra few dozen dollars each month. This might be helpful, but it would still remain underwhelming when compared to the rising costs.
However, if the COLA ends up lower, it may increase pressure on households as the budgets are already stretched thin.
Beneficiaries and their families must keep an eye on official announcements from the SSA and other reliable outlets. Though no changes can be made once the COLA is announced, it is wise to keep track of changes so that one is prepared for a few extra bucks every month from next year and prepare the budget accordingly.
If finalized at around 2.7 percent, budgeting too optimistically could leave trouble ahead.
