The 2026 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the annual benefit increase tied to inflation, is 2.8%. The average retired-worker benefit rises from $2,015 to $2,071 per month, or about $56, although each person's increase depends on their benefit amount. The increase applies to nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries beginning with January 2026 benefits. Nearly 7.5 million SSI recipients received the higher January payment on December 31, 2025, according to the Social Security Administration's October 2025 announcement.
Table of Contents
- How the 2.8% increase changes your benefit
- Key Social Security amounts for 2026
- SSI payment standards and timing
- What changes for people who work
- Why your net check may rise by less
How the 2.8% increase changes your benefit
The social Security Administration based the 2026 COLA on CPI-W growth between the third quarters of 2024 and 2025, according to its 2026 COLA fact sheet. The adjustment applies to covered Social Security and SSI benefits.
To estimate the gross increase, multiply your current monthly benefit by 1.028. For example, a $2,000 monthly benefit would rise to $2,056 before deductions. Your actual dollar increase may differ because it depends on your current benefit amount.
Key Social Security amounts for 2026
The SSA estimates these average monthly benefits after the COLA: These are averages, not guaranteed payment amounts. A worker claiming retirement benefits at full retirement age can receive a maximum of $4,152 per month in 2026, up from $4,018. The maximum does not represent what most retirees receive.
- Aged couple: $3,208
- Widowed beneficiary: $1,919
- Disabled worker: $1,630
SSI payment standards and timing
Supplemental Security Income, or ssi, provides payments under a separate federal program. The higher January 2026 SSI payment arrived on December 31, 2025, for nearly 7.5 million recipients.
The 2026 federal SSI payment standards are: State supplements and other income can change the amount an SSI recipient actually receives. The federal standard is therefore a reference point, not necessarily the final payment.
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- Eligible individual: $994 per month
- Eligible couple: $1,491 per month
What changes for people who work
Workers below full retirement age face a $24,480 annual earnings-test threshold in 2026. Social Security withholds $1 for every $2 earned above that amount. For workers reaching full retirement age during 2026, the threshold is $65,160, with $1 withheld for every $3 earned above it before the month they reach full retirement age.
The SSA's 2026 COLA information lists these limits and withholding rates. The Social Security payroll-tax wage base also rises to $184,500. The 6.2% employee OASDI tax applies only to wages up to that amount; Medicare tax has no wage cap.
Why your net check may rise by less
The standard Medicare Part B premium increases by $17.90, reaching $202.90 per month in 2026. Beneficiaries who have Part B premiums deducted from Social Security may see a smaller net-check increase, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Higher-income Medicare enrollees pay more than the standard Part B premium. To assess your change, compare your new gross Social Security benefit with the amount deposited after the Medicare deduction.
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