Short answer
The 2026 FERS COLA is 2.0 percent for eligible FERS annuities.
OPM lists the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment for eligible FERS annuities at 2.0 percent. SSA announced a 2.8 percent Social Security COLA for 2026, so the two numbers are not the same.
Start here
What you actually came to find out
Plain answers first. Sources stay below for checking details.
What is the 2026 FERS COLA?
OPM lists the 2026 FERS COLA at 2.0 percent for eligible annuities.
Is it the same as Social Security?
No. SSA announced a 2.8 percent Social Security COLA for 2026, while OPM lists FERS separately.
Who gets it?
Eligibility depends on federal retirement system and annuity rules under OPM guidance.
Why does it matter?
The FERS COLA affects one income line, while TSP, Social Security, and health costs move on their own schedules.
FERS COLA
2.0%
OPM lists the 2026 FERS COLA for eligible annuities.
Source trail: OPM
Social Security COLA
2.8%
SSA announced the 2026 Social Security COLA.
Source trail: SSA.gov
Annuity formula
OPM
OPM explains FERS benefit computation separately from COLA adjustments.
Source trail: OPM
TSP line
Separate
TSP withdrawals are a separate retirement income source.
Source trail: Thrift Savings Plan
A neutral federal retirement income check separates FERS annuity income, Social Security, TSP withdrawals, FEHB or Medicare costs, and taxes.
Neutral landscape
The shape of the question
The official federal retiree COLA source is OPM. OPM lists the 2026 FERS COLA separately from CSRS and Social Security.
Source trail: OPM
Social Security is a separate income stream. SSA announced a 2.8 percent Social Security COLA for 2026.
Source trail: SSA.gov
The annuity base comes from FERS computation rules. OPM explains how age, service, and high-3 pay flow into the federal annuity.
Source trail: OPM
The TSP is not a pension COLA. TSP withdrawal choices belong in a separate income and savings bucket.
Source trail: Thrift Savings Plan
Curator core
What the authorities say
These sources are here for the reader who wants to check the work. The plain-English answer stays above them.
Source 01
OPM
Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Annuities
OPM publishes civil service annuity cost-of-living adjustments, including FERS and CSRS treatment.
Source framing
OPM lists the 2026 FERS COLA separately from the Social Security COLA.
Strongest for: official federal annuity COLA treatment
Read at OPMSource 02
SSA.gov
Cost-of-Living Adjustment Information for 2026
SSA publishes the current Social Security COLA and explains when benefit increases take effect.
Source framing
SSA announced a 2.8 percent Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2026.
Strongest for: official Social Security COLA amount and timing
Read at SSA.govSource 03
OPM
FERS Information: Computation
OPM explains FERS annuity computation and related retirement benefit mechanics.
Source framing
OPM explains how FERS retirement benefits are calculated from service, age, and salary inputs.
Strongest for: FERS calculation vocabulary
Read at OPMSource 04
OPM
FERS Information: Types of Retirement
OPM explains FERS retirement types, eligibility ages, service rules, and special retirement supplement context.
Source framing
OPM is the official source for FERS retirement eligibility and supplement framing.
Strongest for: FERS retirement eligibility and supplement context
Read at OPMSource 05
Thrift Savings Plan
Withdrawals in Retirement
The TSP explains withdrawal options for participants in retirement.
Source framing
The TSP explains that retirement withdrawals can be structured in different ways after separation.
Strongest for: retirement withdrawal options
Read at Thrift Savings PlanSource 06
IRS
Publication 915: Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits
Publication 915 explains the federal combined-income test for taxable Social Security benefits.
Source framing
IRS uses combined income and filing status to determine whether part of a Social Security benefit is taxable.
Strongest for: federal taxation of Social Security benefits
Read at IRSPlain-English forks
The forks people face
Most retirement questions hide a few smaller decisions. These are the practical pieces that change the plan.
Is the retiree covered by FERS or CSRS?
Why it matters: OPM lists COLA treatment by federal retirement system.
In real life: This fork changes which COLA line applies.
What to look at: What to look at: OPM annuity payment and FERS sources.
Is the annuity eligible for a COLA yet?
Why it matters: Eligibility can depend on age, annuity type, and federal retirement rules.
In real life: This fork changes whether the increase appears in the current year.
What to look at: What to look at: OPM retirement system guidance.
Does Social Security start in the same year?
Why it matters: The Social Security COLA is a separate number and a separate check.
In real life: This fork changes household income growth.
What to look at: What to look at: SSA COLA information and claiming rules.
What comes from the TSP?
Why it matters: TSP withdrawals are controlled by account balance and withdrawal choices, not the FERS COLA.
In real life: This fork changes the savings draw.
What to look at: What to look at: TSP withdrawal guidance.
Common questions
Quick answers
Short, plain answers for the questions people usually have next. The source trail stays available below.
What is the FERS pension COLA for 2026?+
OPM lists the 2026 FERS COLA at 2.0 percent for eligible annuities.
Is the FERS COLA the same as Social Security COLA?+
No. SSA announced a 2.8 percent Social Security COLA for 2026, while OPM lists FERS separately.
Does the COLA apply to every FERS retiree the same way?+
Eligibility and timing depend on OPM retirement rules and annuity type.
Does the TSP get a COLA?+
The TSP is an account, not a pension annuity. TSP withdrawals depend on account balance and withdrawal choices.
Are FERS annuity payments taxable?+
Federal tax treatment depends on the broader tax return. IRS sources govern taxation of income, including Social Security when applicable.
Where does FERS COLA belong in the plan?+
It belongs in the federal pension income line, separate from Social Security and TSP withdrawals.
How this page is curated
This page uses OPM annuity payment guidance, OPM FERS computation sources, SSA 2026 COLA information, TSP withdrawal guidance, and IRS federal tax context. It keeps FERS, Social Security, and TSP as separate income lines.
Read the planner methodologyTrust anchor
Sources used on this page
Every source named above is listed here in one place.
IRS. Publication 915: Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p915OPM. Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Annuities
https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/my-annuity-and-benefits/annuity-payments/OPM. FERS Information: Computation
https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/fers-information/computation/OPM. FERS Information: Types of Retirement
https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/fers-information/types-of-retirement/SSA.gov. Cost-of-Living Adjustment Information for 2026
https://www.ssa.gov/cola/Thrift Savings Plan. Withdrawals in Retirement
https://www.tsp.gov/withdrawals-in-retirement/
Before you act on this
This plan is educational. It is not personalized financial, tax, or insurance advice. Projections illustrate the math, they do not predict the future. Talk to your own licensed financial professional before acting on any of it.