THE EPOCH TIMES – As the government shutdown reached Day 3 on Friday, the agency that produces economic data may have to delay the release of its annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) plan for next year’s Social Security payments.
Generally, the Social Security Administration (SSA) releases its COLA for the upcoming year sometime in mid-October after it calculates the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners measure of inflation for July, August, and September.
Last year’s announcement by the SSA was on Oct. 10, 2024, for the 2025 payments.
However, the Department of Labor said in a shutdown contingency plan released in late September that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will “suspend all operations” during the shutdown, which was initiated on Oct. 1 after Congress couldn’t reach an agreement on a stopgap funding bill.
“Social Security monthly benefits can be as high as $5,108. Benefit payments are regularly adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increases. Thse payments are guaranteed and supported by the Social Security Trust Fund and provide half or more retirement income for many retirees.” – National Council on Aging (NCOA)
“All active data collection activities for BLS surveys will cease. The BLS website will not be updated with new content or restored in the event of a technical failure during a lapse,” the Labor Department document said.
The BLS is the agency that releases CPI data.
“A delay of the CPI release during October of each year might have an impact on the Cost of Living Adjustment announcement by the Social Security Administration,” the Labor Department also noted in its plan.
The CPI inflation report for September is scheduled to be released on Oct. 15, meaning that a shutdown-averting funding deal must be agreed upon by members of Congress before then.
“As of July 2025, the average Social Security monthly check for retired workers was $2,006.69.” – KIPLINGER
Usually, after the September report is released, the SSA then announces the COLA for the coming year …
