The Social Security Administration said that benefits will grow next year. (Disability Scoop)
Monthly payments to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries are set to increase.
The Social Security Administration said Friday that benefits will go up 2.8% in 2026.
The change is due to an annual automatic cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, that’s tied to inflation.
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As a result, the maximum federal SSI benefit for individuals will reach $994 per month, up from $967 this year. The top benefit for couples will grow to $1,491 per month compared to $1,450 this year.
Actual payments can be higher because some states contribute extra.
“Social Security is a promise kept, and the annual cost-of-living adjustment is one way we are working to make sure benefits reflect today’s economic realities and continue to provide a foundation of security,” said Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano. “The cost-of-living adjustment is a vital part of how Social Security delivers on its mission.”
This year’s COLA announcement was delayed due to the government shutdown. However, the Social Security Administration said that the increased benefits will begin Dec. 31 for nation’s 7.5 million SSI beneficiaries and in January for those on Social Security like in years past.
The COLA for 2026 is slightly higher than the 2.5% rise for this year, but falls short of the 3.1% average over the last decade, federal officials said.
The Social Security Administration said it will mail a one-page notice to beneficiaries starting in early December notifying them of their new benefit amount and any deductions, or individuals can access the information in their account on the agency’s website.
Shannon Benton, executive director of The Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan group that advocates for seniors, said that the “meager increases” in Social Security benefits aren’t enough. Her group is calling on Congress to impose a minimum COLA of 3% and change the measure that’s used to calculate the increase to one that better reflects beneficiaries’ spending habits.
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