OPERS announces COLA for 2026

Inflation-based adjustment to be 2.6%, based on government statistics

By Michael Pramik, Ohio Public Employees Retirement System

July 24, 2025 – Cost-of-living adjustments for OPERS members in 2026 will be either 3% or 2.6%, depending on when members began receiving a benefit.

While those with a benefit effective date prior to Jan. 7, 2013, automatically receive a 3% adjustment, those with an effective date after that date have their COLAs based on the Consumer Price Index-W, the government’s inflation index for urban wage earners and clerical workers.

According to state law, the annual COLA for those retirees is to be based on the change in the CPI-W from the end of June 2024 to the end of June this year, with a maximum adjustment of 3%. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the CPI-W increased 2.6% over that period, so OPERS’ CPI-based COLA for 2026 will be 2.6%. For reference, click on “CPI-W, June 2025” on this page of the Bureau of Labor Statistics website and refer to cell AD-7 in the spreadsheet.

OPERS’ inflation-based COLA uses the same index as Social Security. But the time period measured is different, so the adjustments might not always match up.

The adjustment is calculated on recipients’ original monthly benefit and is paid on the anniversary of their benefit effective date.

Michael Pramik

Michael Pramik is communication strategist for the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and editor of the PERSpective blog. As an experienced business journalist, he clarifies complex pension policies and helps members make smart choices to secure their retirement.