Overview
- The 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment lifts the average retiree benefit by about $56 to roughly $2,064 per month, according to the Social Security Administration.
- Bigger payments start in January 2026 for Social Security, with Supplemental Security Income reflecting the increase on Dec. 31, 2025 due to the holiday schedule.
- New polling reports that 77% of Americans age 50 and over view the 2026 increase as insufficient compared with their rising expenses.
- Some recipients will see part of the increase reduced by higher Medicare Part B premiums, which are typically deducted from monthly checks.
- Nominal-dollar gains will vary by state, with Connecticut, New Hampshire, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland projected to see the largest boosts, as debate over long-term solvency continues with the OASI fund projected to pay about 77% of scheduled benefits after 2033 without action.