Advocacy groups focused on the well-being of older Americans are urging the Social Security Administration to set a “minimum” annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in the coming years.
The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) voiced its support for this idea shortly after the SSA announced a 2.8% COLA increase for 2026.
According to TSCL, this increase is only a “modest” rise compared to the 2.5% adjustment for 2025.
“The 2026 COLA will be painful for seniors,” said TSCL Executive Director Shannon Benton. “Year after year, they express concerns that small increases in Social Security just aren’t cutting it, and the Census Bureau indicates that around 10% of retirees live in poverty,” she stated.
The COLA aims to help Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients maintain their purchasing power despite rising inflation, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage and Office Workers (CPI-W). However, TSCL argues that this index doesn’t accurately reflect the costs that older adults face, such as healthcare and housing expenses.
Instead of the CPI-W, TSCL advocates for the use of the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E), which tracks spending patterns specifically among those aged 62 and older.
They are also proposing a concept called “CPI Best,” whereby annual COLA increases would be based on the highest figure from three possible options: CPI-W, CPI-E, or a minimum increase of 3%.
“We urge Congress to act quickly to strengthen the COLA,” Benton noted, pushing for a minimum 3% adjustment and a switch from the CPI-W to the CPI-E for calculations.
Benton recalled TSCL’s previous initiatives, such as a proposed one-time “make-up payment” of $1,400 from July, which was suggested to help alleviate the decrease in purchasing power that many faced during the pandemic.
In a recent TSCL survey, a large number of seniors expressed concerns about how the SSA is handling inflation adjustments for benefits each year.
“COLA should account for both inflation and the costs associated with aging,” Benton remarked. “The current calculation method is outdated and fails to address what seniors are genuinely spending on essentials like medical costs, rent, and medications. It’s time for a change.”
