Recent forecasts concerning Social Security's 2026 COLA suggest the average retiree will receive an additional $48 to $54 per month in benefits next year.

Estimates for Social Security’s Cost of Living Adjustment – the automatic raise beneficiaries typically receive at the start of the new year – continues to tick upwards.

As summer winds down, retirees and Social Security recipients shift their focus toward 2026—especially the upcoming Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). Although the official announcement won’t arrive until October 2025,