Studio Romantic / Shutterstock.com The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 settled at a puny 2.8%, marking one of the smallest adjustments in recent years, but higher than last year’s 2.5%. This follows an 8.7% COLA in 2023 when inflation spiked after COVID disruptions, representing a significant decline from that peak. The adjustment is determined by comparing inflation data from the third quarter of one year to the same period the previous year, and with inflation cooling considerab ...