Trump Administration to Recall BLS Staff Amid Shutdown to Calculate Social Security COLA
The Trump administration is planning to call back staff from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to compile the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, a key calculation needed to determine the 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Social Security beneficiaries, despite ongoing data delays stemming from the government shutdown.
The CPI, which measures the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a basket of consumer goods and services, is used to calculate the annual COLA. The COLA is determined by the percentage increase in the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers for the third quarter of the year (July, August and September) compared to the same period the previous year. The planned recall of BLS staff underscores the importance placed on ensuring timely Social Security adjustments for millions of Americans.
Currently, projections estimate the 2026 COLA at 2.0%, which would translate to an additional $54 per month for the average retiree; however, the actual amount varies based on individual benefit amounts and earnings history. States with higher median incomes generally see larger Social Security benefits, and therefore larger COLA increases – for example, retirees in New Jersey could see benefits rise to $2,172 per month, while those in Connecticut could receive $2,159. You can find more information about Social Security benefits and eligibility on the Social Security Administration website. The Motley Fool has also published an analysis of state-by-state benefit projections here.
A Trump administration official stated the data will be released before November 1, the deadline to publish the annual increase for Social Security. The average Social Security payment for retired workers recently surpassed $2,000 for the first time, reaching $2,002.39, an increase of 4.55% from the previous year.
