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 benefit change #1: Cost of living (COLA) raises. Beginning January 2025, there's a 2.5% COLA increase for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, which affects about 72.5 million people. Though the exact amount of the Cost-of-living Allowance can vary, there typically is one.
In 2025, if you're under your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you can earn up to $23,400 without benefit reduction, with $1 deducted for every $2 over the limit; if you reach FRA in 2025, you can earn up to $62,160 before your birthday month, with $1 deducted for every $3 over that amount, after which there's no limit.
The extra $144 added to Social Security usually comes from the Medicare Part B Giveback benefit, offered by some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, which pays back some or all your Part B premium, showing up as extra money in your check if it's deducted from your Social Security. To qualify, you need Original Medicare (Parts A & B), pay your own Part B premium, live in a plan's service area, and enroll in a specific Medicare Advantage plan that offers this "rebate," with the amount varying by plan and location.
Qualification for the $1,400 stimulus check (the third Economic Impact Payment) in 2021 depended on your 2021 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and filing status, with full amounts for single filers earning up to $75,000 (phasing out at $80,000) and joint filers up to $150,000 (phasing out at $160,000), plus $1,400 per dependent; you needed a valid Social Security Number and had to claim it as the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return if you missed the payment, with deadlines typically in April 2025.
I am receiving Social Security disability benefits. Will I get a stimulus check? Yes, you probably will if you earned less than $75,000 in either 2018 or 2019.
Visit the IRS Get My Payment (GMP) portal at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment to see if you can expect a 2021 Economic Impact Payment. The GMP portal will provide the date when your payment was or will be sent.
Yes, Social Security is giving extra money through the 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), which is a 2.8% increase for most beneficiaries starting in January 2026, raising the average retirement check by about $56 monthly due to higher inflation. This annual adjustment helps benefits keep pace with rising living costs, though some people might receive notices later in December.
Congress recently passed the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), signed into law in January 2025, which eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), ending benefit reductions for public servants (like teachers, police, firefighters) who also earned Social Security, ensuring they get the full benefits they've earned from both covered and non-covered work. While this major bill was enacted in early 2025, Congress also works on other related legislation, like potential bills concerning tax treatment or benefit calculation methods, but the Fairness Act is the most significant recent law.
Six Changes to Social Security in 2026
Millions of Social Security recipients automatically received COVID-19 stimulus payments through the IRS using SSA and RRB data. Payments included up to $1,200 per individual in round one, $600 in round two, and $1,400 in round three, with extra amounts for dependents.
Yes, Social Security recipients received a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2025, but the bigger news is that they are getting a larger 2.8% COLA for 2026, announced in October 2025, which began with January 2026 payments, increasing average benefits by about $56 per month. The 2025 COLA was a smaller 2.5% increase, while the 2026 adjustment reflects moderating inflation, leading to higher payments starting in the new year.
Stimulus payments
Single taxpayers with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $75,000 or below. Taxpayers filing as heads of household with AGIs of $112,500 or below. Married couples filing jointly with AGIs of $150,000 or below.
Qualifying for the third stimulus check
If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you will automatically qualify for the third stimulus check which will be in the amount $1400. Even if you are a dependent, you will qualify.
However, the payment amounts may vary, according to the IRS. The full credit amount is available to individual taxpayers with up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income and to married couples who file jointly with up to $150,000 for 2021.
What Were the Stimulus Payment Three Requirements? The third stimulus payment requires the eligible recipient to be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, possess a Social Security number, and not be claimed as a dependent.
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA):
For the January to March 2025 period, there won't be an increase, as the CPI showed a small dip over the last three months. But don't worry—over the past year, benefits have still grown by 2.0%, helping seniors keep pace with rising living costs.
Who Will Receive the $1,100 Centrelink Bonus. The bonus will be automatically issued to eligible Australians receiving approved Centrelink payments. Those expected to qualify include: Age Pension recipients.