Overview
- The Social Security Administration’s 2.8% cost-of-living increase is now reflected in 2026 checks, with January deposits scheduled for Jan. 14, 21 and 28 based on beneficiaries’ birth dates.
- Reports place the 2026 maximum monthly benefit for age-70 claimants near $5,100 to $5,181, with caps around $4,152 at full retirement age and roughly $2,569 to $2,831 at age 62 depending on source.
- Reaching the top benefit generally requires 35 years of earnings at or above the taxable maximum, which is $184,500 for 2026.
- Benefits can be claimed from age 62 to 70, with early filing cutting payments by up to about 30% and delays after full retirement age raising them by up to roughly 24%, and multiple studies suggest many households gain more lifetime wealth by waiting until 70.
- Analysts warn that without congressional action Social Security may be unable to pay full scheduled benefits as early as 2034.