There are millions of retirees who are facing a familiar situation, that is the announcement of the of next year’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) has been delayed. The COLA for 2026, was meant to be announced in October 2025, but as a result of the government shutdown, it is now uncertain.
There are many seniors who live on fixed incomes, and they rely on Social Security as their financial backbone. A delay in the announcement may add unnecessary stress.
For many seniors who depend on Social Security as their main source of income, this delay adds another layer of stress to already tight budgets. Regretfully, this is not the first time it has occurred. Retirees had to wait weeks to learn how much their benefits would increase the last time a shutdown coincided with the COLA announcement.
Why the Delay Is Happening
Every year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates how much benefits will rise to keep up with inflation.
The Bureau of Labour Statistics typically releases its September inflation figures in mid-October, which is when the COLA announcement generally occurs. However, that report may not be published on time since several government agencies are closed. The SSA cannot formally publish the new COLA amount without it.
What This Means for Retirees
If beneficiaries don’t know how much their benefits will increase next year, they may be unable to plan ahead. Many retirees count on the extra money for essential expenses and if they don’t know how much they’re getting, they may have to cut down on expenses.
This Has Happened Before
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that the COLA announcement has been delayed. A few years during the government shutdown, a similar situation occurred.
After the government reopened, the inflation data was ultimately released, but the delay created a great deal of misunderstanding. Concerned that they had missed a crucial update or that their payments might be impacted, seniors poured onto SSA phone lines.
How Much of a Raise to Expect
Even though the official COLA has not been announced yet, experts predict a 2.6% to 3.0% increase for the year 2026. It is a modest increase to help with the rising costs of inflation.
For the average retiree who receives about $1,900 a month, that would mean an increase of roughly $50 to $55 per month, or around $630 more over the course of the year.
It’s important to remember that these are just estimates, the official amount is yet to be announced.
Will the Delay Affect Payments?
On the plus side, the shutdown will not affect Social Security payments. Beneficiaries can still expect to receive their monthly checks as per usual even during the shutdown.
The things that may be delayed is the official announcements and updates. The SSA may not post new COLA information on its website or send letters to beneficiaries until normal operations resume.
The Bottom Line
Even though Social Security checks are being sent out as normal, the delay in the COLA announcement shows how government operations can impact Americans. The shutdown may postpone the COLA announcement by a few weeks, but the uncertainty may create unnecessary stress and panic for the millions of Americans who rely on Social Security and are trying to plan their finances.
Officials are hopeful that the COLA will still be effective in January 2026, as soon as the government resumes normal operations. However, until then, the elderly population will have to wait for an announcement that tells them how much their checks will increase in the next year.