Social Security benefits are going up next year, thanks to the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The increase will apply to payments for retirees, survivors, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Every year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates how much benefits will rise based on the COLA, which is designed to keep pace with inflation so recipients don’t lose purchasing power.
The COLA is tied to the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). In simple terms: if inflation goes up, so does the COLA. While the adjustment officially takes effect in January 2026, some beneficiaries will see their first higher payment as early as December. Here’s what you need to know about the new amounts and who gets paid first.
How much will Social Security payments be in 2026?
The COLA calculation compares CPI-W data from the third quarter of the previous year to the same period in the current year – July, August, and September. Based on this formula, the 2026 COLA has been set at 2.8%, meaning Social Security and SSI benefits will rise by that percentage.
Individual benefit amounts vary, but the SSA provides estimated averages. With the 2.8% COLA, here’s what the average monthly payments will look like in 2026:
- All retired workers: $2,071
- Surviving spouse with two children: $3,898
- Aged widow(er) alone: $1,919
- Disabled worker with spouse and one or more children: $2,937
- All disabled workers: $1,630
For SSI, the top monthly payments will be $994 for an individual and $1,491 for a couple where both qualify. To estimate your own 2026 benefit, simply add 2.8% to your current amount. The SSA was scheduled to send official notices with exact figures in late November and December.
Who’ll be the first to benefit from the Social Security COLA increase?
The COLA increase applies to benefits for January 2026, but some recipients will see the higher amount in December.
According to the SSA’s official payment schedule, SSI benefits are normally paid on the first of each month. However, if that date falls on a weekend or holiday, payments are sent on the preceding business day.
Since January 1 is a federal holiday, SSI payments for January will go out on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Here’s the timeline for the first COLA-adjusted payments:
- Weds., Dec. 31: SSI benefits (Jan. 2026 payment)
- Fri., Jan. 2: Benefits for those who began receiving payments before May 1997
- Weds., Jan. 14: Birthdays between the 1st and 10th
- Weds., Jan. 21: Birthdays between the 11th and 20th
- Weds., Jan. 28: Birthdays between the 21st and 31st
- Fri,, Jan. 30: SSI benefits (Feb. 2026 payment)
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