With the arrival of the new year 2026, changes are also coming for beneficiaries of the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the United States. The first involves an increase in the monthly benefit following the approval of a 2.8% COLA, which translates to an average increase of $56 per month. The second concerns those who retire early or late but have decided to continue working, as benefits will be reduced by one dollar for every two dollars earned above the annual limit.
The third involves the maximum taxable earnings for Social Security FICA taxes, which has increased to $184,500. In addition, workers will also have to pay 7.65% of their earnings to Social Security and Medicare, and employers will also have to match that rate.
SSA changes for 2026
With the arrival of the new year 2026, beneficiaries of the United States Social Security Administration will also experience changes in their monthly payments. These three changes affect both retirees and workers, and they are as follows. On one hand, following the approval last October 2025 of the new COLA percentage of 2.8% that comes into effect starting January 2026, current retirees will receive an average increase of $56 per month. Although this new COLA percentage is higher than the 2.5% for 2025, it is still below the average increase of 3.1% recorded over the past decade.
The second change involves early retirement and retirees who have decided to continue working. In the case of being an early retiree, the administration will reduce one dollar for every two dollars earned above the allowed annual limit. This measure affects those who have not reached full retirement age, whose annual income limit has increased to $24,800 ($2,040 per month). If one has reached full retirement age while still working, Social Security will reduce one dollar for every three dollars over an annual limit of $65,160 ($5,430 per month).
Change in the maximum earnings amount
The latest change concerns the maximum allowed earnings. This figure will be increased in relation to FICA taxes, reaching $184,500 in 2026, compared to $176,100 in 2025. Additionally, it is important to note that workers will have to pay 7.65% of their earnings to Social Security and Medicare, with employers also required to match these amounts. In the case of self-employed individuals, they will have to cover both payments, which amounts to 15.3% of their earnings. Since the taxable earnings threshold is expected to continue rising exponentially, any income above $184,500 will not be taxable in 2026.
2026 Payment schedule
Despite these changes, what remains untouched is the schedule and the way payments are handled by the administration. Here are the payment dates, according to the month, for the year 2026.
- January 8, 15, and 22.
- February 12, 19, and 26.
- March 12, 19, and 26.
- April 9, 16, and 23.
- May 14, 21, and 28.
- June 11, 18, and 25.
- July 9, 16, and 23.
- August 13, 20, and 27.
- September 10, 17, and 24.
- October 8, 15, and 22.
- November 12, 19, and 26.
- December 10, 17, and 24.
Frequently asked questions
How much will monthly benefits increase in 2026?
Thanks to the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), retirees will see a boost in their checks. On average, this increase will amount to about an additional $56 per month starting in January.
What happens if I’m retired but still working?
If you retired before the official age, you can earn up to $24,800 per year without penalties. If you exceed that amount, the SSA will withhold $1 for every $2 you earn over the limit. If you have already reached full retirement age, the allowed income limit rises to $65,160.
What is the new FICA tax limit for workers?
In 2026, the maximum income subject to Social Security tax rises to $184,500. Workers must pay 7.65% of their wages for Social Security and Medicare, while self-employed workers must cover the full 15.3%.