Each year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) raises its benefit payouts to help pensioners keep up with inflation. For 2025, all benefits saw a 2.5% increase.
Recently, on October 24th, the SSA unveiled the 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA): a 2.8% boost, which will translate to an average rise of about $56 in monthly benefits beginning January 2026.
How Your Benefit Increase Is Determined
Your personal benefit change may differ from that average. That’s because your monthly payout is calculated based on your lifetime earnings and the age at which you start claiming benefits.
Since the COLA applies as a percentage to your existing benefit amount, the resulting dollar-increase will vary for each individual.
When & How You’ll Be Notified
Although the SSA has announced the new percentage, it will also send personalized notifications showing the exact dollar increase to every beneficiary. These should arrive early December through the mail.
In addition, if you have a my Social Security account, you’ll be able to see your specific increase online from late November to early December. Note: you must have your my Social Security account set up by November 19th to receive the alert digitally.
Details of the 2.8% Increase
The 2.8% uplift for 2026 is slightly higher than the 2025 adjustment of 2.5%. However, according to the non-partisan advocacy group The Senior Citizen’s League (TSCL), the increase aligns with historical averages.
TSCL’s 2025 study found that 73% of older adults rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, 39% depend on it entirely, and 34% cover between 51-99% of their income via Social Security. Additionally, the median senior reportedly lives on less than $2,000 per month.
TSCL further argues that beneficiaries often receive less than what they need and recommends that the COLA be calculated using the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) rather than the current measure, the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W).
The CPI-E more closely reflects seniors’ spending on healthcare and housing and historically trends higher than the CPI-W roughly 69% of the time, meaning seniors may effectively lose thousands under the current formula.
Key Deadlines & Actions to Take
- By November 19th: Set up your my Social Security account if you want to view your personalized COLA increase online.
- Late November to early December: You should be able to log in and check your specific benefit jump.
- Early December onward: If you don’t have an online account, a mailed notice will arrive outlining your new benefit amount and the exact increase.
Be sure to keep an eye on your mail and online account so you know exactly how much your benefit will rise.
The 2026 COLA of 2.8% ensures most Social Security beneficiaries will see a bump in monthly benefits—something that matters when many seniors rely entirely or largely on their payments to live. While the average increase is around $56, the actual amount depends on individual earnings history and claim age.
Make sure you have a my Social Security account set up by November 19th, so you receive your personalized update as soon as it’s available. With timely notification and awareness of the calculation method, you’ll be better prepared for how the increase affects your income.
FAQs
When will my benefit increase take effect?
Your new benefit amount reflecting the 2.8% increase goes into effect January 2026.
Why does my increase differ from the average $56?
Because your increase is a percentage of your current benefit, it varies based on your lifetime earnings and when you claimed benefits.
What if I don’t set up my my Social Security account by November 19th?
You’ll still get your increase and an official notice by mail starting early December—but you won’t be able to view it online ahead of time.
