The 2026 COLA will increase SSDI payments by 2.6 percent

The Social Security Administration announced in October 2025 that the 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is 2.6 percent. This means your monthly SSDI payment will rise by 2.6 percent starting in January 2026. If you received $1,000 per month in 2025, your 2026 payment will be $1,026.

The 2.6 percent figure comes from the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), measured from the third quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025. Social Security calculates COLA this way every year and announces it in mid-October for the following January.

This increase is smaller than the 2025 COLA (3.2 percent) and smaller than the 2024 COLA (3.2 percent). It reflects slower inflation over the measurement period. The exact dollar amount of your increase depends on your current payment, which varies based on your work history and the age at which you began receiving benefits.

Key Takeaways

  • Your SSDI payment will increase by 2.6 percent in January 2026, with the new amount deposited on your regular payment date.
  • You do not need to do anything to receive the increase — it happens automatically if you are on the SSDI rolls.
  • The increase affects your Medicare Part B premium, which is deducted from your SSDI payment, so your net increase may be smaller.
  • If you are also receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), that program has a separate COLA that may differ from SSDI's.
  • The 2.6 percent increase is lower than recent years because inflation has slowed since 2024.

How the increase affects your Medicare premiums

Most people on SSDI also have Medicare Part B, and the Part B premium is deducted directly from your SSDI payment. In 2025, the standard Part B premium is $174.70 per month. The 2026 Part B premium has not yet been announced, but it typically rises each year.

This matters because your net increase — the amount of extra money you actually receive — depends on how much the Part B premium rises. If the Part B premium stays the same, you keep the full 2.6 percent increase. If the Part B premium rises, some or all of your COLA increase goes to cover the higher premium.

Social Security will announce the 2026 Part B premium in November 2025. You will see the exact new amount on your Social Security statement in December 2025, before the January payment arrives.

When you will see the increase in your bank account

SSDI payments are deposited on the same date each month. Most beneficiaries receive payments on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of the month, depending on their birth date. Your January 2026 payment — the first one with the COLA increase — will arrive on your regular payment date in January.

You do not need to request the increase or take any action. If you are receiving SSDI in December 2025, you will automatically receive the higher amount in January 2026.

If you have questions about the exact date your payment will arrive, log into your my Social Security account online or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Both will show your payment schedule.

The difference between SSDI COLA and SSI COLA

If you receive only SSDI, the 2.6 percent increase applies to your payment. If you receive only Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a different COLA applies — SSI uses the same CPI-W measurement, so the 2026 SSI COLA is also 2.6 percent.

If you receive both SSDI and SSI (called "concurrent" benefits), both payments increase by 2.6 percent. However, the way the increase is calculated can be complex if you are also receiving other income or resources. Your Social Security statement in December will show the exact new amounts for both programs.

Some states add money to SSI payments (called "state supplementation"). Those state amounts may or may not increase with the federal COLA. Contact your state's SSI program directly to learn whether your state supplement will rise in 2026.

Why COLA varies from year to year

COLA is not set by Social Security or Congress — it is calculated automatically based on inflation. The formula uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from July, August, and September of one year compared to the same three months of the previous year.

For 2026, the CPI-W rose 2.6 percent between the third quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2025. That 2.6 percent becomes the COLA. In years when inflation is higher, COLA is higher. In years when inflation is lower or prices fall, COLA is lower or zero.

Congress cannot change the COLA formula without passing new legislation. The current formula has been in place since 1975. Proposals to change how COLA is calculated appear regularly in Congress, but no change has become law.

How the 2026 COLA compares to recent years

The 2026 COLA of 2.6 percent is lower than the past two years. In 2024, COLA was 3.2 percent. In 2025, COLA was also 3.2 percent. In 2023, it was 8.7 percent — the highest in four decades, driven by inflation after the pandemic.

The decline from 3.2 percent to 2.6 percent reflects slower inflation in 2025 compared to 2024. Inflation has cooled from its 2022–2023 peak, though it remains above the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target. The CPI-W is still rising, but more slowly than it was a year ago.

Looking forward, the 2027 COLA will depend on inflation between the third quarter of 2025 and the third quarter of 2026. Social Security will announce it in October 2026.

What to do if you think your payment is wrong

After your January 2026 payment arrives, check the amount against what you expected. If you know your 2025 payment and multiply it by 1.026, you should get close to your 2026 payment (before any Medicare premium change).

If the increase seems too small or too large, log into my Social Security to review your payment history and current payment amount. The site shows your monthly payment for the past 12 months and explains any deductions.

If you find an error or have questions, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Have your Social Security number and recent payment statements ready. Social Security representatives can explain the exact calculation and correct any mistakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to do anything to get the 2026 COLA increase?

No. The increase happens automatically. If you are receiving SSDI in December 2025, your January 2026 payment will include the 2.6 percent increase. You do not need to contact Social Security or fill out any forms.

Will the increase affect my Medicaid or other benefits?

COLA increases to SSDI do not count as new income for Medicaid purposes in most states, so they should not affect your Medicaid status. However, rules vary by state. Contact your state Medicaid office if you are concerned about how the increase might affect your coverage.

What if I am working and receiving SSDI under a work incentive?

The COLA increase applies to your SSDI payment regardless of work status. If you are using a work incentive like the Student Earned Income Exclusion or Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), the increase to your base SSDI payment does not change how those programs work. Your earnings are still counted separately.

Can I get the 2026 COLA increase if I just started receiving SSDI?

If your SSDI payment begins in January 2026 or later, your first payment will already include the 2.6 percent COLA built in. You will not receive a separate increase — the COLA is part of the benefit amount Social Security calculates for you.

Why is the 2026 COLA lower than 2025?

COLA is based on inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index. Inflation slowed in 2025 compared to 2024, so the COLA is lower. The 2.6 percent reflects the actual rise in prices for urban wage earners between mid-2024 and mid-2025.