What Social Security Retirees Must Do On October 15, 2025 — Find Out Your COLA Increase

Social Security: Retirement should be a time of more freedom and less stress. But even in retirement, there are dates you should mark on your calendar. One such date: October 15, 2025. If you get Social Security benefits, something important happens that day — and missing it might cost you.

This article explains what you need to do, why Oct. 15 matters, and how to be ready when the new COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustment) is announced.

What Is the COLA and Why It Matters

What Is COLA?

• COLA stands for Cost-of-Living Adjustment.
• It is the increase the Social Security Administration (SSA) gives each year so that benefits keep up with inflation.
• Inflation is the increase in prices of goods and services over time.

How SSA Calculates the COLA

The SSA does not guess the rate — it uses real data:

1. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (known as CPI-W).
2. SSA looks at the CPI-W for the third quarter (July, August, September) of the current year and compares it to the same quarter of the previous year.
3. The percentage change is rounded to the nearest tenth of 1%. That becomes the COLA for next year.

Why October 15, 2025 Is Important

• On Oct. 15, 2025, at 8:30 a.m., the BLS will release the September inflation data. This completes the data set SSA needs to calculate COLA.
• After that release, SSA should soon announce the 2026 COLA percentage.
• That announcement will be on the SSA website, likely in their Communications Corner section. It will say something like “Social Security Announces X.X Percent Benefit Increase for 2026.”

What You Should Do

Action	Why It’s Important
Visit the SSA website’s Communications Corner after 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 15	It gives the official COLA number first.
Watch trusted news sites too	They will report fast, but sometimes with slight delay or interpretation.
Check your monthly benefits	Your actual increase depends on Medicare Part B premiums and deductions.

What to Expect for 2026

• The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) projects the 2026 COLA will be 2.7%, up from 2.5% this year.
• That is above the average COLA of 2.6% in recent years.
• But there is a catch: Medicare Part B premiums (insurance you pay automatically from your Social Security) are expected to go up 11.6% in 2026.
• Because of that higher premium, part of your COLA increase might really just cover the extra cost of insurance. So you won’t feel the whole 2.7% increase in your take-home benefit.

Why Not All the COLA Will Be Yours

Even though SSA announces a COLA, many people don’t get the full boost because:

• Medicare Part B deductions are taken out from the benefit check.
• If the premium goes up a lot, it uses up some of your COLA.
• The result: the net increase (what you really see in your bank) is less than the announced percentage.

October 15, 2025 is an important date for Social Security retirees. That’s when the inflation numbers are released, and then SSA will set the 2026 COLA. Knowing this helps you plan your finances.

Remember, even though COLA is meant to protect you from inflation, rising Medicare Part B premiums might eat into how much extra money you actually get.

So on that day, check the SSA website (Communications Corner), look for the percentage increase, and compare it with your current benefits minus premium deductions.

Being aware means you won’t be surprised. With good planning and knowing how things work, you can make the most of your retirement income.

FAQs