Social Security's 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Estimate Was Just Updated, and It's a Mixed Bag for Retirees
Although retired-worker benefits are set to make history in 2026, the latest COLA forecast is anything but reassuring.
In January, nearly 52 million retired-worker beneficiaries took home an average Social Security check of $1,978.77. Though this is a relatively modest monthly payout, it has historically proven vital to helping retirees make ends meet.
Over the last 23 years, the survey-takers at Gallup have polled retirees to gauge their reliance on their Social Security income. What all 23 surveys have shown is that 80% to 90% of respondents require at least some portion of their payout to cover their expenses.
Considering how foundational Social Security is to the financial well-being of our nation's aging workforce, it should come as little surprise that the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) reveal is the most-anticipated announcement each year. Though we're still more than seven months away from this official unveiling, a recent update to the early 2026 COLA projection presents a mixed bag for retirees.
