Many people in the U.S. receiving Social Security payments experience an adjustment called COLA every year. This is done so that they could face the rising prices, even though everything is more expensive, people won’t lose their purchasing power and they can continue paying for what they need.
Every year the Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates if the payments must rise a bit due to inflation. By 2026, there will be a 2.8% increment in the benefits, which means that those receiving the aid will get more money on their monthly payments.
However, not everybody will experience this positive adjustment at the same time. Most of them will see it on their first payment of 2026, but others one day before the end of 2025. So, let’s learn more about this.
Who will receive the COLA increment before?
People benefiting from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will be the first one receiving this adjustment, so on December 31 of 2025 they will enjoy it. You might be thinking why this date difference is happening, well this is because January 1 is a federal holiday and on these days payments are not sent. Then, when a payment is programmed for a feral holiday, it’s sent a day before.
However, you should know that this is not an extra payment, it’s just the January payment sent earlier. In total, about 7.5 million people who receive the SSI will see the COLA adjustment before the rest do.
Also, most Social Security beneficiaries (like retirees and disabled people) will see this increment on their payments at the beginning of January, which are about 71 million people.
How much is the COLA adjustment?
The 2.8% increment means the payments will go up a little bit, but don’t think it’s that much… For example: the average monthly payment for a retired worker will increase from $2,015 to $2,071. This equals about $56 more per month.
The Social Security Administration will send some letters with the new amounts at the beginning of December of this year, and they will arrive both by mail and through the official online website of the SSA (for those using their digital account).
The goal of the COLA and its limitations
The goal of the COLA adjustment is to protect people from inflation, which is when you see prices getting more expensive as time goes by. However, several organizations have pointed out that these increments aren’t enough sometimes. This is due to the prices of essential stuff such as: food, housing, and medicine.
Their prices have risen faster than the adjustment applied. So, although this payment increment helps, some people can still feel the economic pressure.
Payment schedule for 2026
Aside from the early payment for SSI recipients, the overall payment schedule will remain the same:
- Most people will receive their payment on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of each month, depending on their birthdate.
- People who started receiving benefits before May 1997 will continue receiving payments on the 3rd day of each month.
The early payment for SSI recipients ensures that no one is affected by banks being closed for the New Year holiday.
So…
The COLA adjustment is a reminder that every dollar matters — especially for those who rely on these benefits to meet their most basic needs. While the increase may not solve every financial challenge, it shows that efforts are still being made to help people keep up with the cost of living. For millions across the country, this support offers not just financial help, but also reassurance and a bit of comfort moving into the new year.