When will the Office of Personnel Management announce the official 2026 COLA and retroactive pay dates?
Executive summary
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) follows the Social Security Administration’s COLA determination and implements annuity adjustments effective December 1, with the new payment appearing the first business day of January; Social Security announced a 2.8% COLA for 2026 on Oct. 24, 2025 (SSA/press and coverage) and OPM’s guidance says COLAs are made effective each December 1 (OPM/FedSmith) [1] [2]. Available sources do not specify a separate OPM “announcement date” for the 2026 COLA beyond OPM publishing pay tables and implementation timing in December 2025 and January 2026 [3] [4] [2].
1. How the announcement process works — two agencies, distinct roles
The annual COLA is computed from Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-W data then announced by the Social Security Administration; that SSA announcement for 2026 occurred on Oct. 24, 2025 when SSA set the COLA at 2.8% [1] [5]. OPM does not independently “set” the Social Security COLA; it applies the COLA to federal annuities and publishes implementing pay tables and guidance—OPM’s process hinges on the SSA/BLS calculation and typically makes the change effective December 1 for annuitants, with the adjusted payment reflected in the first business-day January payment [2] [6].
2. When OPM will publish final pay tables and guidance
Multiple reporting threads point to OPM releasing finalized 2026 pay tables and special-rate tables before year-end 2025, with implementation in January (often cited as the first full pay period—Jan. 11, 2026—for active-pay tables) [3] [7] [4]. For retirees, OPM states COLA changes are made in December and appear in the January payment; FedSmith quotes OPM: “Cost‑of‑Living Adjustments are effective each December first. The adjustment appears in your payment on the first business day of January” [2].
3. Retroactive pay: when annuitants should expect backpay
Available sources explain that COLAs are effective Dec. 1 of the year and thus benefits for December are paid with the January check; that implies any retroactive adjustment for December’s benefit is included in the January payment [2]. Coverage of the 2026 COLA repeatedly says the increase “starts in January 2026,” aligning with SSA and OPM timing [8] [9]. Sources do not provide a separate OPM-issued “retro pay” schedule beyond this customary December-effect/January-payment practice [2].
4. Why dates shifted in 2025 — shutdowns and delayed CPI data
The 2026 announcement was delayed from its usual mid‑October window because the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ September CPI data were delayed by a government shutdown; SSA announced the COLA on Oct. 24, 2025 after BLS released the necessary CPI-W data [10] [11] [1]. That delay affected timing for all downstream agencies, including OPM’s publication scheduling, but once SSA declared the COLA, OPM’s December implementation schedule remained the standard mechanic [10] [12] [2].
5. What federal retirees and employees should watch for now
Federal annuitants will receive a 2.8% increase if under CSRS and 2.0% for most FERS annuitants as reported by OPM/FAQ and trade outlets; those adjustments take effect Dec. 1 and show up in the January payment [6] [13]. Active federal employees’ pay-table changes (a separate 1% across‑the‑board for 2026 in reporting) will be published by OPM before year‑end and implemented in the first pay period in January 2026—watch OPM.gov for the formal tables and special-rate lists [3] [4].
6. Conflicting or missing details in coverage — what to be cautious about
News outlets and advocacy sites agree on the SSA Oct. 24 announcement and on OPM’s December-effective practice, but they diverge when describing implementation for active pay versus annuities (active-pay tables effective first full pay period vs. annuity COLA effective Dec. 1) [8] [3] [2]. Some sites project different percentages for FERS vs. CSRS and note prorating rules—those are explained in OPM’s FAQ but individual situations vary; readers should check OPM’s official COLA FAQ and agency notices rather than rely on secondary summaries [6].
7. Bottom line and practical next steps
The official SSA COLA for 2026 was announced Oct. 24, 2025 (2.8%) and OPM applies COLAs effective Dec. 1 with the increased annuity showing in the first business‑day January payment; OPM will publish final pay tables and any active‑worker special‑rate tables before the end of 2025 on OPM.gov [1] [2] [3]. If you’re a federal retiree or employee, monitor OPM.gov and your agency HR or annuity statement in December for the precise dollar figures and any retroactive-credit details [2] [4].