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11h ago

Social Security 2026: 2.8% COLA Takes Effect With New Limits and January Payment Dates

Higher Medicare Part B premiums will reduce the raise many beneficiaries see.

An older man sits on his sofa with a thoughtful look on his face.
A Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Washington, DC, March 26, 2025. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reportedly aiming to reform and downsize the SSA with office closures, cutbacks on phone services and new rules requiring in-person visits for some prospective beneficiaries to register. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • January benefits will be paid in three waves by birth date on Jan. 14, Jan. 21 and Jan. 28, with January’s SSI arriving early on Dec. 31.
  • The 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment lifts the average monthly benefit to about $2,071 starting this month.
  • Part B premiums deducted from checks can offset or eliminate the COLA; hold-harmless protection applies only when premiums are taken from Social Security and the beneficiary is not subject to IRMAA.
  • Work-related limits are higher in 2026: beneficiaries under full retirement age lose $1 for every $2 earned above $24,480, and in the year of full retirement age it is $1 for every $3 over $65,160; disability SGA thresholds rise to $1,690 for non-blind recipients and $2,830 for blind recipients.
  • Program finances remain a concern, with analysts warning full benefits could be at risk in the early-to-mid 2030s without congressional action.