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Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for 75 million Americans will increase 2.8% in 2026Social Security retirement benefits are set to increase by about $56 per month, on average, starting in JanuaryThe announcement followed the release of September 2025 inflation data, which showed an acceleration in price increases compared to the year prior
Social Security beneficiaries will notice a change to their benefits next year.
On Friday, Oct. 24, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for 75 million Americans will increase by 2.8% in 2026.
Social Security retirement benefits are set to increase by about $56 per month, on average, starting in January, per the agency.
The change comes due to the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) being slightly higher than the 2.5% calculated in 2025. According to the SSA, the COLA has averaged about 3.1% over the last decade.
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Beneficiaries will also see an increase from $176,100 to $184,500 in the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum).
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The SSA’s announcement follows the release of September 2025 inflation datawhich showed an acceleration in price increases compared to the year prior.
The SSA’s cost-of-living adjustment announcement was scheduled for Oct. 15, but was delayed by the federal government shutdown, per CNBC.
“Social Security is a promise kept, and the annual cost-of-living adjustment is one way we are working to make sure benefits reflect today’s economic realities and continue to provide a foundation of security,” Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said in a statement. “The cost-of-living adjustment is a vital part of how Social Security delivers on its mission.”
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The SSA will begin notifying recipients about their new benefit amount by mail starting in early December.
Those who have a personal my Social Security account may be able to view their COLA notice earlier online. The online system allows text or email alerts to be set up whenever a new message arrives.
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Beneficiaries interested in accessing their notice online, who don’t have a my Social Security account, will need to create one by Nov. 19 in order to see their COLA notice electronically.
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