The social security cost-of-living adjustment prediction for 2026 continues to rise, as inflation numbers continue to roll out.

Here’s where the latest numbers stand:

Social Security COLA 2026

The backstory:

In June, The Senior Citizens League, a seniors' advocacy group, predicted the 2026 cost-of-living update would be 2.5%, up from May’s estimate of 2.4%, and the March estimate of 2.3%.

For context:

Social Security's COLA is calculated using a variant of CPI data that measures average annual inflation for the months of July, August and September, according to FOX Business – meaning the final COLA for 2026 will be unveiled after September's CPI print is released in mid-October.

By the numbers:

With the latest data in hand, TSCL estimated that the Social Security COLA will

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