Social Security COLA 2026: 2.8%
The cost-of-living adjustment for 2026 is official. Here's what it means for your check.
The official number: the 2026 COLA is 2.8%, effective with January 2026 benefits. The new amounts are below.
The new 2026 benefit amounts
| Benefit | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| Average retired worker | $2,071/month |
| Average disabled worker (SSDI) | $1,630/month |
| Average aged couple | $3,208/month |
| Maximum at full retirement age (67) | $4,152/month |
| Maximum at age 70 | $5,181/month |
| Maximum federal SSI — individual / couple | $994 / $1,491/month |
Source: official SSA COLA fact sheet. Your exact amount depends on your earnings record — check your my Social Security account.
How the COLA is calculated
The formula is fixed by law and uses one specific inflation measure: the CPI-W (Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers). The SSA averages the CPI-W for July, August, and September and compares it with the average for the same three months a year earlier. The percentage increase — rounded to the nearest tenth — is the COLA. If there's no increase, the COLA is zero; it is never negative.
Estimate your 2026 check
New benefit: —
Preset to the official 2026 COLA of 2.8%. Amounts are gross, before any Medicare premium deduction.
Want to compare several percentages side by side? Use thefull COLA calculator.
COLA history: the last 10 years
| Year | COLA |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 2.8% |
| 2025 | 2.5% |
| 2024 | 3.2% |
| 2023 | 8.7% |
| 2022 | 5.9% |
| 2021 | 1.3% |
| 2020 | 1.6% |
| 2019 | 2.8% |
| 2018 | 2.0% |
| 2017 | 0.3% |
Source: SSA COLA series.
When you'll see the increase in your deposit
The COLA applies to benefits for January 2026. These are the exact dates the first increased payments arrive, per the official schedule:
- Wednesday, December 31, 2025 — supplemental security income (ssi) recipients (the January payment, issued early)
- Friday, January 2, 2026 — beneficiaries who started receiving benefits before may 1997, or who receive both social security and ssi
- Wednesday, January 14, 2026 — retirement, survivors, and disability (ssdi) beneficiaries born on the 1st through the 10th of the month
- Wednesday, January 21, 2026 — retirement, survivors, and disability (ssdi) beneficiaries born on the 11th through the 20th of the month
- Wednesday, January 28, 2026 — retirement, survivors, and disability (ssdi) beneficiaries born on the 21st through the 31st of the month
One thing that can offset it: the Medicare Part B premium for 2026 is announced separately in the fall and is deducted from most checks. If the premium goes up, your net deposit rises by less than the headline COLA.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Social Security COLA for 2026?
The 2026 cost-of-living adjustment is 2.8%. After the increase, the average retired worker receives $2,071 per month, and the maximum federal SSI payment is $994 for an individual.
When does the 2026 COLA take effect?
The increase applies to benefits for January 2026. SSI recipients are usually the first to see it, because the January SSI payment is often issued at the end of December when January 1 falls on a weekend or holiday.
How is the COLA calculated?
The SSA compares the average CPI-W (Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers) for July, August, and September with the same three months of the previous year. The percentage increase, rounded to the nearest tenth, becomes the COLA.
Will my exact increase match the COLA percentage?
Your gross benefit rises by the COLA percentage, but your deposit may change by a different amount if your Medicare Part B premium (deducted from most checks) also changes for the new year.
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