Social Security’s latest implemented cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was 2.8% for 2026. As of October 7, 2026, the Social Security Administration (SSA) had not yet announced the 2027 adjustment. If a new COLA is approved, it can affect retirement, survivor, and disability benefits, as well as Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Who sees the largest dollar increase depends on their benefit amount and payment calculation—not simply their category.
What a COLA changes—and what it does not
Social Security’s annual COLA is based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The 2.8% COLA announced for 2026 measured the CPI-W change from the third quarter of 2024 through the third quarter of 2025. It applied to Social Security benefits and SSI payments. The SSA said the adjustment covered 75 million Americans: nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries received it beginning with January 2026 payments, while increased SSI payments began December 31, 2025. Some people receive both programs. SSA’s 2026 COLA fact sheet explains the announced adjustment.
The 2027 COLA was still pending on October 7, 2026; the SSA said it would announce the next adjustment in October. A September 30, 2026 Kiplinger report cited a 3.5% estimate from The Senior Citizens League. That is a third-party forecast, not an announced or guaranteed COLA. Kiplinger’s report identifies the estimate and its date.
“Benefit most” can mean the largest dollar increase, the fact of receiving an adjustment, or the effect on a household’s total income. These are not the same. A percentage applied to a larger underlying benefit generally produces a larger dollar change, all else equal. But personal benefit amounts differ, and SSI has its own income-based calculation. SSA does not publish a ranking of the nine groups below as the people who benefit most.
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Which people may receive a COLA?
The categories below describe common types of Social Security and SSI recipients covered by the programs’ adjustment rules. Eligibility still depends on each program’s requirements.
1. Retired workers receiving Social Security
Retirement benefits are included in the Social Security COLA. In its 2026 effect table, the SSA estimated that average retired-worker benefits would rise from $2,015 to $2,072 per month. Those are program averages, not a promise about any one person’s check. A separate SSA fact-sheet estimate puts the average after-adjustment amount at $2,071; the figures come from different SSA tables and should not be combined as though they were one exact calculation. See the SSA average-benefit effect table and the 2026 fact sheet.
2. Spouses receiving benefits on a retired worker’s record
Eligible spouses receiving benefits based on a retired worker’s record are included. The SSA’s 2026 effect table estimates an average monthly benefit of $953 before and $980 after the adjustment, a $27 average increase. The table’s figures are averages, not individual benefit estimates.
3. Surviving spouses receiving benefits
Eligible survivors may receive Social Security benefits that are adjusted with the COLA. The SSA’s 2026 effect table estimates average monthly benefits for aged widow(er)s rising from $1,869 to $1,921, and for disabled widow(er)s from $955 to $981. These categories and amounts are averages in the SSA table; an individual’s payment depends on their benefit record and circumstances.
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4. Children and other eligible family survivors
Eligible surviving children and certain other family members, including a widowed mother or father with children, may receive survivor benefits based on a worker’s record. The adjustment applies to qualifying Social Security benefits; it is not a separate flat payment just for being a child or family survivor. The SSA’s effect table includes average-benefit categories for survivor families.
5. Disabled workers receiving Social Security Disability Insurance
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is part of Social Security, so eligible disabled workers’ benefits are covered by the COLA. In its 2026 effect table, the SSA estimated average disabled-worker benefits rising from $1,585 to $1,630 per month. That comparison describes averages, not a guaranteed increase for each recipient.
6. Disabled adult children receiving benefits on a parent’s record
An eligible adult child may receive Social Security benefits on a parent’s record under the program’s family-benefit rules. The COLA adjusts the qualifying Social Security benefit; it does not create a separate flat COLA entitlement for disabled adult children. The SSA’s COLA overview describes the Social Security adjustment.
7. Older adults receiving SSI
Older adults who qualify for SSI may receive an adjustment to the federal payment standard. SSI is a separate, needs-based program, so the maximum federal amount is not necessarily the amount a recipient receives. In 2026, the maximum federal monthly SSI payment was $994 for an eligible individual and $1,491 for an eligible couple. Countable income can reduce the actual payment, and some states provide supplements. The SSA lists the 2026 amounts and rules on its SSI federal payment amounts page.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors8. Adults and children receiving SSI based on disability
Adults and children who meet SSI’s disability and financial eligibility rules may receive adjusted SSI payments. SSI eligibility is distinct from SSDI: qualifying for one program does not automatically mean qualifying for the other. For 2026, the federal maximum also included $498 a month for an essential person; actual payment amounts depend on SSI’s countable-income rules and any applicable state supplement.
9. People receiving both Social Security and SSI
Some people qualify for both Social Security and SSI. A COLA can affect the Social Security benefit and the SSI payment calculation, but the Social Security benefit may count as income when SSI determines the amount payable. That means the adjustment to one program can change the calculation for the other; it does not necessarily translate into the same percentage increase in total monthly income.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why your increase may differ from the headline percentage
The announced COLA is not a promise that every recipient’s deposit will rise by exactly that percentage. For retirement benefits, the SSA explains that the COLA increases the primary insurance amount and then recalculates the individual benefit. Rounding and truncation can affect the result; deductions, including Medicare premiums, can also change the net amount deposited. SSI payments have a different calculation: countable income can reduce the federal payment, and state supplements may affect the total. The SSA describes the retirement calculation in Application of COLA to a Retirement Benefit.
For a useful comparison, look at the specific program and benefit amount, not just the group label. The SSA’s average-benefit figures describe typical amounts in its table; they cannot establish who will receive the largest increase in every household.
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How to find your own adjusted payment
- Check your personalized COLA notice. The SSA says the notice provides your exact benefit amount and deductions.
- Review the notice through my Social Security, if available. Many beneficiaries can view their notices online in their account.
- For SSI, compare the payment amount rather than assuming you receive the federal maximum. Countable income and any state supplement affect the payment calculation.
For the implemented 2026 adjustment, Social Security’s increased payments began in January 2026, while SSI payments reflecting the COLA began December 31, 2025. The SSA provides timing details in its COLA payment FAQ.
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