The Social Security COLA 2026 is 2.8 percent, a cost-of-living increase that begins with benefits payable in January 2026 for about 71 million Social Security beneficiaries (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet, Oct. 24, 2025). That raises the average retired-worker benefit by roughly $56 a month, though a larger Medicare Part B premium quietly takes back about a third of it for most people on Medicare.
The 2026 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is 2.8 percent, up from 2.5 percent in 2025. It applies to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Social Security payments reflect the increase starting January 2026; SSI payments increased December 31, 2025 (Source: Social Security Administration, 2026 COLA Fact Sheet).
What is the Social Security COLA for 2026?
The 2026 Social Security COLA is 2.8 percent, announced by the Social Security Administration (SSA) on October 24, 2025 (Source: SSA press release, “Social Security Announces 2.8 Percent Benefit Increase for 2026”). It applies to both Social Security retirement, survivor, and disability benefits and to Supplemental Security Income.
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The 2.8 percent figure is higher than the 2.5 percent COLA that took effect in 2025. It reflects measured inflation over the prior year rather than any policy decision, because the adjustment is set by an automatic statutory formula.
| Cost-of-living adjustment | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual COLA percentage | 2.5% | 2.8% |
| Effective (Social Security) | January 2025 | January 2026 |
| Effective (SSI) | Dec. 31, 2024 | Dec. 31, 2025 |
Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet.
How much will my Social Security check increase in 2026?
SSA estimates the average retired-worker benefit rises about $56 a month with the 2026 COLA, moving from about $2,015 to roughly $2,071 (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet, Oct. 24, 2025). Your own increase equals 2.8 percent of your current gross benefit, so a $3,000 benefit rises about $84 and a $1,500 benefit rises about $42.
The increase reaches about 71 million Social Security beneficiaries, and increased payments reach about 7.5 million SSI recipients (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet). SSA estimates the average disabled-worker (SSDI) benefit rises roughly $44 a month, and the SSI federal payment standard rises from $967 in 2025 to $994 for an individual and to $1,491 for an eligible couple in 2026 (Source: SSA, SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2026).
The net take-home reality: Medicare Part B offsets part of the COLA
For most people enrolled in Medicare, the real 2026 raise is smaller than the headline COLA because the standard Medicare Part B premium is usually deducted directly from the Social Security check. The 2026 Part B standard premium is $202.90 a month, up $17.90 from $185.00 in 2025 (Source: CMS 2026 Medicare Parts A & B fact sheet, Nov. 14, 2025).
That $17.90 increase absorbs roughly one-third of the average $56 COLA raise. The table below shows the net effect for someone receiving the average benefit and paying the standard Part B premium.
| Monthly amount (average beneficiary on Medicare) | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Gross COLA raise (2.8% of average benefit) | +$56.00 |
| Medicare Part B premium increase | Minus $17.90 |
| Approximate net monthly increase | +$38.10 |
Sources: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet; CMS 2026 Medicare Parts A & B fact sheet. Individual results vary with benefit size and premium.
Higher earners can lose more. Part B income-related monthly adjustment amounts (IRMAA) add a surcharge once 2024 modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $109,000 for an individual or $218,000 for a joint filer, and the top bracket pays $689.90 a month in 2026 (Source: CMS 2026 fact sheet). Our detailed 2026 Medicare IRMAA brackets and premiums breakdown shows each tier.
Every 2026 Social Security number in one table
The COLA also moves several thresholds that SSA publishes separately. The figures below are the key 2026 numbers a retiree or worker often needs in one place (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet and SSA Publication EN-05-10003, “2026 Social Security Changes”).
| 2026 Social Security figure | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Taxable maximum (wage base) | $176,100 | $184,500 |
| Earnings test, under FRA all year ($1 withheld per $2 over) | $23,400/yr | $24,480/yr |
| Earnings test, year reaching FRA ($1 withheld per $3 over) | $62,160/yr | $65,160/yr |
| Maximum monthly benefit at full retirement age | $4,018 | $4,152 |
| Quarter of coverage (one credit) | $1,810 | $1,890 |
| SSI federal payment standard (individual) | $967 | ~$994 |
Sources: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet; SSA Contribution and Benefit Base; SSA Exempt Amounts Under the Earnings Test; SSA Pub. EN-05-10003. The Social Security payroll tax rate stays 6.2% on earnings up to the taxable maximum (12.4% combined), and the taxable maximum increase is a wage-index change, not the COLA itself.
When does the 2026 COLA take effect, and how do I see my notice?
The 2026 COLA takes effect with Social Security benefits payable in January 2026, while increased SSI payments began December 31, 2025 (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet). No action is needed, because SSA applies the increase automatically to each record. You can confirm your new figure through a personalized COLA notice, which SSA posts online and also mails to beneficiaries in December.
SSA posts personalized COLA notices in the Message Center of a my Social Security account, generally in December (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet). The online notice shows your new benefit amount and any Medicare premium deduction before the mailed notice arrives.
How is the Social Security COLA calculated?
The COLA is a statutory automatic adjustment tied to inflation, not a discretionary vote. SSA compares the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the third quarter of 2024 with the third quarter of 2025; the percentage increase becomes the 2026 COLA (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet).
- Average the CPI-W for July, August, and September of 2024.
- Average the CPI-W for the same three months of 2025.
- Divide the change by the 2024 average to get the percentage increase, rounded to the nearest tenth: 2.8 percent for 2026.
Because the formula is written into law, the annual COLA is separate from the debate over long-term trust-fund solvency. The Social Security Board of Trustees projects future funding shortfalls in its annual report, and any changes would require congressional action; the automatic COLA continues to apply under current statute regardless of those projections (forecasts attributed to the Social Security Trustees). The “will there even be a COLA” worry conflates the annual inflation adjustment with the solvency question, which are governed by different rules.
Adequacy and taxes: why the raise can feel smaller
A 2.8 percent COLA is designed to keep pace with measured inflation, but several fixed dollar thresholds do not rise with it, which can shrink the practical value of the increase. Because the COLA is tied to a broad price index rather than to the specific costs a given household faces, the adjustment may not fully offset a retiree’s own cost increases, particularly in categories such as health care.
One concrete example is federal income tax on benefits. Under 26 U.S.C. Section 86, the base amounts that determine whether benefits are taxable ($25,000 single and $32,000 married filing jointly for the first tier) are fixed and are not indexed for inflation (Source: 26 U.S.C. Section 86; IRS Publication 915). As benefits rise 2.8 percent while those thresholds stay frozen, more beneficiaries can cross into having up to 50 percent or 85 percent of benefits taxed over time. Our explainer on the Social Security tax torpedo covers how this interacts with other income.
A separate $6,000 senior deduction for individuals age 65 and older applies for tax years 2025 through 2028 and phases out above $75,000 of MAGI ($150,000 joint) under P.L. 119-21 (Source: IRS, “One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act” guidance). It does not repeal the taxation-of-benefits rules.
How this connects to Roth conversion planning
Because both IRMAA surcharges and the taxation of benefits depend on MAGI, the year income is realized matters. Some retirees study whether a Roth conversion in a given year raises MAGI enough to trigger a higher Part B premium or push more benefits into the taxable range. Whether that fits a situation depends on individual circumstances and is a topic to review with a qualified professional.
Roth conversions cannot be recharacterized and must be completed by December 31 to count for that tax year, so the timing decision is not reversible. Related figures appear in our 2026 retirement contribution limits guide.
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Frequently asked questions
The questions below cover the most common 2026 COLA topics: the size of the adjustment, when it arrives, how much a benefit rises, how the figure is calculated, the average benefit, the Medicare Part B premium change, and the taxable wage base. Each answer cites a primary government source, and individual dollar amounts vary with your benefit, earnings history, and claiming age.
How much will the COLA amount be for 2026 and when will I receive it?
The 2026 COLA is 2.8 percent (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet). Social Security beneficiaries see the increase in benefits payable starting January 2026, and SSI recipients received it beginning December 31, 2025. SSA applies it automatically, and the exact dollar amount depends on your current benefit.
What is the COLA increase for 2026?
The 2026 cost-of-living adjustment is 2.8 percent, up from 2.5 percent in 2025 (Source: SSA press release, Oct. 24, 2025). It applies to Social Security retirement, survivor, and disability benefits and to Supplemental Security Income, reaching about 71 million Social Security beneficiaries and about 7.5 million SSI recipients.
How much will my Social Security check increase in 2026?
Your gross increase is 2.8 percent of your current benefit. SSA estimates the average retired-worker benefit rises about $56 a month to roughly $2,071 (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet). For people on Medicare, the $17.90 Part B premium increase reduces the net raise to about $38 in that average case.
When will the 2026 COLA take effect?
The 2026 COLA takes effect with Social Security payments in January 2026, while increased SSI payments began December 31, 2025 (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet). Personalized COLA notices generally post in the Message Center of a my Social Security account in December.
How is the Social Security COLA calculated?
SSA compares average CPI-W for the third quarter of 2024 with the third quarter of 2025; the percentage change is the COLA (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet). The method is an automatic statutory formula, so the annual adjustment does not require a separate vote by Congress.
What is the average Social Security benefit for 2026?
SSA estimates the average retired-worker benefit is about $2,071 a month in 2026 after the 2.8 percent COLA, up roughly $56 (Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet). The average disabled-worker benefit rises about $44 a month. Individual amounts vary with earnings history and claiming age.
Will Medicare premiums increase in 2026?
Yes. The standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, up $17.90 from $185.00 in 2025, and the Part B deductible is $283 (Source: CMS 2026 Medicare Parts A & B fact sheet). Higher-income enrollees pay IRMAA surcharges on top of the standard premium.
What is the maximum taxable earnings for Social Security in 2026?
The 2026 Social Security taxable maximum (wage base) is $184,500, up from $176,100 in 2025 (Source: SSA Contribution and Benefit Base). Earnings above that amount are not subject to the 6.2 percent Social Security tax, though the 1.45 percent Medicare tax has no wage cap.
Sources
Social Security Administration, “Social Security Announces 2.8 Percent Benefit Increase for 2026,” press release, Oct. 24, 2025 (ssa.gov/news).
Social Security Administration, 2026 COLA Fact Sheet (ssa.gov/news/en/cola/factsheets/2026.html).
Social Security Administration, Contribution and Benefit Base; Exempt Amounts Under the Earnings Test; Quarter of Coverage; SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2026; and Pub. EN-05-10003, “2026 Social Security Changes” (ssa.gov).
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, “2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles,” fact sheet, Nov. 14, 2025 (cms.gov/newsroom).
26 U.S.C. Section 86; IRS Publication 915; IRS, “One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act” guidance (irs.gov; law.cornell.edu).
