Most Social Security Recipients Will Receive $2,071 Per Month Per The 2026 Cost-Of-Living Adjustment

The Social Security Administration has announced that there will be a 2.8% increase to the cost-of-living adjustment in 2026. As a result, social security beneficiaries will see an increase of about $56 per month in 2026, according to GOBankingRates (via Yahoo! Finance). This means most recipients will get $2,071 per month.

In 2025, the administration announced that the COLA was set at 2.5%. The cost-of-living adjustment has increased by an average of about 3.1 percent in the past 10 years, according to the Social Security Administration.

“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,” Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said in a statement. “The cost-of-living adjustment is a vital part of how Social Security delivers on its mission.”

How does the Social Security Administration determine the amount paid to beneficiaries?

The Social Security Administration uses various factors to determine how much payment recipients receive. To determine the amount, the administration considers how much income the recipient earned from working. Other factors include the person’s retirement age and when the recipient earned their income, according to The Hill. In August, a retired worker earned an average of about $2,008.

What are advocates for senior citizens saying about the amount sent to beneficiaries?

Advocacy groups who are fighting for the right of senior citizens say the amount going out to beneficiaries is still not enough despite the increase in COLA. According to The Hill, the advocates say retirees aren’t getting enough to cover the rising costs of housing, food and healthcare.

Shannon Benton, The Senior Citizens League’s executive director, is among those fighting for senior citizens.

“The 2026 COLA is going to hurt for seniors,” Benton said in a statement, per The Hill. “Year after year, they warn that Social Security’s meager increases won’t be enough, and the Census Bureau estimates that about 10 percent of retirement-age Americans live in poverty.”