Friday, October 24, 2025 For Immediate Release Barton Mackey, Press Officer [email protected]

https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NbBwv93dO_-CRO40nDY2rbU38jE-sBzgtHWV9h19tisN4Em1xllROFwWCPjReUd_EQ9Ki2OF-Adw09Qv0e9ULJQsWuKe3ZeI6HiYlbQGEuoW9kl9UMMMyYTq0Y09wZrHmpK7XrXfGWHj9LJiZUqj7s4gRkiXQkxGQ=s0-d-e1-ft#https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/USSSA/2025/09/12289036/ssanr_original.png

Social Security Announces 2.8 Percent Benefit Increase for 2026 Baltimore, MD – The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced today that Social Security benefits, including Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for 75 million Americans will increase 2.8 percent in 2026. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month starting in January. Over the last decade the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase has averaged about 3.1 percent. The COLA was 2.5 percent in 2025. Nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.8 percent COLA beginning in January 2026. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2025. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security benefits and SSI). "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," said Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano. “The cost-of-living adjustment is a vital part of how Social Security delivers on its mission.” Other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) is slated to increase to $184,500 from $176,100. Social Security begins notifying people 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 my Social Security account also gives individuals access to request a replacement Social Security card, view their claim status and benefits, and view their SSA-1099. Information about Medicare changes for 2026 will be available at www.medicare.gov. For Medicare enrollees, the 2026 premium amount will be available via my Social Security Message Center starting in late November. Individuals who have not opted to receive messages online will receive their COLA notice by mail in December. 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. NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS: Here is the COLA 2026 Fact Sheet showing an easy-to-understand overview of all the various automatic adjustments for 2026. For more information about Social Security’s services, visit www.ssa.gov.

But I really want to  

or 😭

 

Inflation held down to 2.8 ... AND ... Medicare Plan B up 11.6 %  

Plan B deductible, even higher ... 12 %

 

2.8 % for you ..... 11.8 & 12 % for us.  Sounds fair  

 

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

But I really want to  

or 😭

 

Inflation held down to 2.8 ... AND ... Medicare Plan B up 11.6 %  

Plan B deductible, even higher ... 12 %

 

2.8 % for you ..... 11.8 & 12 % for us.  Sounds fair  

 

It's the aging population.   More people on social programs and fewer people working. 

 

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CIVPART

25 minutes ago, Mike_Hunt said:

It's the aging population.   More people on social programs and fewer people working. 

 

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CIVPART

Yep, sooner or later ... you run out of other people's money.

 

Socialism never works, never has, never will.   Capitalism & free enterprise.   USA is so far behind, it's mind boggling.   Over regulated, over taxed, unions are a joke, self serving to themselves.

 

There's no incentive to be productive past a certain point, as the more you make, the more they take.  I literally stopped producing, generating income, because they, govt, was taking almost half.   What's the point, especially when I'm taking all the risk.

 

I'm was just a little guy, but there's millions of us.   There's a lot of big hitters out, got to be thinking the same ... "why do I bother"  and many are stopping or leaving for greener pastures.   Whether different states or different countries.

 

USA can't compete any more, not that it ever could, that past 50+ years.   Everything outsourced.   Trump has good ideas, theoretically, though aside from being too late, nobody cares, and all will fail miserably.

 

Nobody wants to work, put in the effort, the time.  Just all want free sh!t, and others to pay for it.

 

Som nam naa

 

So glad I left, and if not so ignorant, would have left a lot earlier.

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Nobody wants to work, put in the effort, the time.  Just all want free sh!t, and others to pay for it.

Spot on.

Better raise FICA soon, before SS goes broke.

1 hour ago, Trippy said:

Better raise FICA soon, before SS goes broke.

20% on employee's wage, instead of 6.2% should work, and get more in line with socialist EU.  Month or 2 holiday time, monthly living expense, until all the top 20% decide to leave the USA and shut down all their businesses 

 

I forgot about that tax.  I was getting hit with Fed income tax -37% + 6.45% = 43.45%, on a good years.

 

Good thing I live in TN instead of PA, no income tax.

PA State income tax ... 3.07%

Philly wage tax ... 3.74% 

43.45 + 6.81 = 50.26%

 

Doesn't include RE Tax, in 2000, just one house was ~$4000 a year.

Other 2 houses were only total of ~$1000, rental in slums.

 

Have gotten most, if not all back, only because collecting SS for 25 years 

Think I would have much rather had it to invest, than collect SS.

 

Almost feel sorry for the bastards that are still paying, 60+ yrs old, and haven't got any back yet.  Might not be there in 15 yrs from now.

Would anyone know if this affects my payout from SS pension I won't begin to draw from until end of Q1 2026? I can see what I'm supposed to be paid out on the SS site. 

 

Thanks 

AI says ... No, only for people already receiving and will not up your benefit before you start receiving.