Social Security and VA benefits increase by 2.8% in 2026

The Social Security Administration has officially confirmed a 2.8% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026. This increase serves as a critical inflation offset for over 75 million Americans, ensuring that federal benefits keep pace with the rising costs of goods and services.

While the adjustment is slightly higher than the 2.5% seen in 2025, it marks a return to more historical averages compared to the high-inflation adjustments of recent years. The 2.8% boost applies widely across federal benefit programs, including Social Security retirement, survivor benefits, disability (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation.

When Will You See Your Raise?

While the COLA is effective for the 2026 tax year, the actual date your increased payment arrives depends on which benefit you receive. Because of how federal payment calendars fall this year, some recipients will see their first "2026" check before the New Year begins.

Veterans (VA Disability & Pension): The new compensation rates are effective December 1, 2025. Because VA benefits are paid in arrears (and January 1 is a federal holiday), beneficiaries were scheduled to recieve their first payments at the new 2.8% higher rate on December 31, 2025.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI): SSI recipients generally receive payments on the first of the month. Since January 1, 2026 is a holiday, the Social Security Administration scheduled these increased payments to go out on December 31, 2025.

Social Security (Retirement, Survivors, & SSDI): For the nearly 71 million beneficiaries receiving standard Social Security benefits, the 2.8% increase begins with benefits payable in January 2026. Your specific payment date will follow the standard schedule (based on your birth date) throughout the month of January.

The Money: What the 2.8% Increase Looks Like

For most beneficiaries, the 2.8% adjustment translates into a modest but helpful boost in monthly income. The Social Security Administration estimates that the average retired worker will see their monthly check increase by approximately $56. This brings the estimated average monthly benefit for retired workers to $2,071 starting in January 2026.

For those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the federal payment standards have also been finalized. The new SSI Individual Standard will rise to $994 per month, up from the previous year's amount. Married couples receiving SSI will see their federal standard increase to $1,491 per month.

Administrative Updates & Tax Changes

Beyond the monthly benefit checks, the COLA announcement triggers important adjustments to tax limits and administrative processes for 2026.

Taxable Maximum Increase: Workers who are still employed will see a change in how much of their income is subject to Social Security taxes. The "taxable maximum" cap on earnings has risen from $176,100 to **$184,500**. Earnings up to this new amount are subject to the Social Security payroll tax; earnings above this threshold are not taxed for Social Security purposes.

Digital COLA Notices: Paper notices regarding your specific new benefit amount will be mailed in December. However, you can view your official COLA notice faster and more securely online. The SSA has posted these notices to the Message Center within your "my Social Security" account. If you haven’t set up an account yet, doing so allows you to verify your new 2026 payment amount immediately without waiting for the mail.

Next Steps: Deep Dive Into Your 2026 Benefits

The 2.8% COLA is just the headline number. To understand exactly how these changes apply to your specific situation—whether you are a Veteran, a retiree planning to work part-time, or a disability recipient—we have compiled three detailed guides.

• Are you a Veteran? See the full 2026 VA Disability Rate Tables to find your exact compensation based on your disability rating and dependent status.
• Planning to work while retired? Check the 2026 Earnings Limits to see how much you can earn before your Social Security benefits are reduced.
• Receiving Disability or SSI? Review the 2026 SSI & SSDI Thresholds for updated SGA limits and payment standards.