Social Security Administration (SSA) announced, on Oct. 24, 2025, that benefits, including Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI), and Supplemental Security Income payments for 75 million Americans will increase 2.8 percent in 2026. On average, according to the Social Security Administration, retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month starting in January.
Social Security will notify recipients about their new benefit amount by mail starting in early December 2025.
Similar to last year, Social Security beneficiaries will receive a simplified, one-page COLA notice, which uses plain and personalized language, and provides exact dates and dollar amounts of an individual’s new benefit amount and any deductions.
Individuals who have my Social Security accounts can view their COLA notices online, which is secure, easy, and faster than receiving a letter in the mail. Account holders can set up text or email alerts when they receive a new message, such as their COLA notice.
To receive a COLA notice online, individuals will need to create or sign in to their personal my Social Security account and opt out of paper notices by November 19, 2025. Go Digital! Create an account today at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. An online mySocial Security account also gives individuals access to request a replacement Social Security card, view their claim status and benefits, and view their SSA-1099.
The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For additional information, visit www.ssa.gov/cola.