FORT MYERS, Florida – Florida Seniors could see a smaller increase in their Social Security checks in January 2026 compared to January 2025, according to new estimates by The Senior Citizens League.
As of February 12, 2025, projections indicate that the Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026 may be lower than in previous years. The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) estimates a 2.3% increase for 2026, slightly below the 2.5% adjustment in 2025.
It’s important to note that these projections are subject to change as new economic data becomes available. Beneficiaries should stay informed about official announcements from the Social Security Administration regarding COLA adjustments.
The purpose of the COLA is to ensure that the purchasing power of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits is not eroded by inflation.
It is based on the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of the last year a COLA was determined to the third quarter of the current year. If there is no increase, there can be no COLA.
The CPI-W is determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Department of Labor.
TSCL’s COLA model predicts that the 2026 COLA will come in at 2.3%. That is below the 3.0% yearly change in the CPI-W (the index used to calculate the COLA) announced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in February. If the prediction holds and inflation drops throughout 2025, the 2026 COLA would be 0.2 percentage points lower than the 2.5% adjustment in 2025.
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