A cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, raises spousal Social Security benefits by the same percentage as retirement benefits. The increase is automatic, with no application needed.
A spousal benefit is a monthly payment based on a current or former spouse's work record, as LegalClarity reports in its COLA explainer. For 2026, that shared percentage was 2.8%. The same COLA lifted the worker's benefit and the spousal benefit tied to it.
Table of Contents
- How COLA reaches a spousal check
- What the 2026 COLA added in dollars
- Why claiming age still controls the base
- What can shrink the net increase
How COLA reaches a spousal check
A spousal benefit starts from the worker's primary insurance amount, which is the worker's full retirement benefit. A spouse who claims at full retirement age can receive up to 50% of that amount, according to the Social Security Administration in its early-retirement guide.
COLA then applies proportionally to both figures. When the worker's full benefit rises, the 50% spousal share rises by the same percentage.
What the 2026 COLA added in dollars
The Social Security Administration announced a 2.8% increase for 2026 for about 75 million Americans, with higher Social Security payments in January 2026, in its October 2025 announcement. Higher SSI payments started Dec.
31, 2025. For spouses, Motley Fool estimated the average spousal benefit was $955 in August 2025, rising to about $982 after the 2.8% COLA, in its 2026 benefit analysis. That is about $27 more per month, or about $324 per year if the base benefit stays the same.
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Why claiming age still controls the base
COLA applies to the benefit amount set by claiming age. Claiming spousal benefits early permanently reduces that base, so every later COLA builds from a smaller dollar figure.
FinanceBuzz explains that with a full retirement age of 67, claiming at 62 pays about 32.5% of the worker's full benefit instead of 50%. Coverage from Motley Fool and FinanceBuzz also notes that spousal benefits do not earn extra delayed credits after full retirement age, unlike worker benefits that can grow for delaying.
What can shrink the net increase
The gross benefit and the deposited check are not always the same. LegalClarity notes that Medicare premium deductions, taxes, and other adjustments can reduce the net increase.
SSA sends a personalized December COLA notice with the exact new amount. Compare that notice with bank deposits in January to see deductions. Keep the notice for tax records and for questions about withholding.
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