Blank Social Security checks are run through a printer at the US Treasury printing facility in Philadelphia, Pa., on July 18, 2011. William Thomas Cain/Getty Images
Social Security benefits will increase by 2.8 percent in 2026, federal officials have announced, with the inflation-related adjustment boosting payments for an estimated 75 million Americans.
The 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment—known as COLA—was announced by the Social Security Administration (SSA) on Oct. 24, the same day that government data on inflation was released. It affects both Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, ensuring that payments to retirees, people with disabilities, and low-income beneficiaries reflect rising costs.
