Social Security 2026: All the Key Numbers
Every 2026 Social Security figure — 2.8% COLA, $184,500 wage base, earnings test limits, credit amounts, FRA, and bend points — with 2025 comparison
Key Numbers
2026 COLA
2.8%
Wage Base
$184,500
Earnings Test
$24,480
FRA (1960+)
67
The Social Security Administration announced the 2026 figures on October 24, 2025 — nine days late, after the government shutdown delayed the BLS inflation data the COLA depends on. The headline: a 2.8% COLA (up from 2.5% for 2025) and a taxable wage base of $184,500. This page collects every number that changed; the bend points page covers how the benefit formula itself uses them.
All the 2026 Numbers
| Figure | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)Applies to benefits payable beginning December 2025 (paid January 2026). CPI-W Q3 2024 → Q3 2025. | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Taxable wage base (maximum earnings subject to OASDI tax)OASDI tax is 6.2% each for employee and employer up to this amount. Medicare 1.45% has no cap. | $184,500 | $176,100 |
| Earnings test — under full retirement age all year$1 of benefits withheld for every $2 earned above the limit. | $24,480 | $23,400 |
| Earnings test — the year you reach full retirement age$1 withheld for every $3 above the limit, counting only months before reaching FRA. No limit after FRA. | $65,160 | $62,160 |
| Earnings per credit (quarter of coverage)Max four credits per year — $7,560 of covered earnings earns all four in 2026. 40 credits to qualify for retirement benefits. | $1,890 | $1,810 |
| Full retirement age (born 1960 or later)2026 completes the phase-in from age 65 enacted in 1983. | 67 | 66 and 10 months (born 1959) |
| PIA formula bend points (first eligible in 2026)90% of AIME to $1,286, 32% from $1,286–$7,749, 15% above. Full breakdown on the bend points reference page. | $1,286 / $7,749 | $1,226 / $7,391 |
| Maximum monthly benefit — worker retiring at FRA | $4,152 | $4,018 |
| Approximate maximum monthly benefit — claiming at 62Reflects the ~30% early-claiming reduction for FRA 67. | ≈$2,950 | $2,831 |
| Approximate maximum monthly benefit — claiming at 70Reflects 8%/year delayed retirement credits from FRA to 70. | ≈$5,250 | $5,108 |
The claiming decision is worth more than the COLA.
Claiming at 62 versus 70 can swing lifetime benefits by six figures — and it interacts with your withdrawals, taxes, and spousal benefits. WiserAdvisor matches you with up to three vetted fiduciaries who model claiming strategies, free, in about 5 minutes.
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How the 2026 Earnings Test Works
If you collect benefits before full retirement age while still working, the earnings test temporarily withholds part of your check:
- Under FRA all of 2026: $1 withheld per $2 earned above $24,480. Earn $40,000 and about $7,760 of benefits are withheld for the year.
- The year you reach FRA: a gentler $1 per $3 above $65,160, counting only earnings in the months before your FRA month.
- FRA and beyond: no limit at all — and SSA recalculates your benefit at FRA to credit back the months that were withheld. The earnings test defers benefits; it doesn’t confiscate them.
Only wages and self-employment earnings count — pensions, IRA and 401(k) withdrawals, interest, dividends, capital gains, and rental income do not trigger the earnings test.
2026 Bend Points — Benefit Formula Snapshot
For workers first eligible (turning 62) in 2026, the primary insurance amount formula applies three slices to your average indexed monthly earnings:
| AIME slice | Replacement rate |
|---|---|
| First $1,286 | 90% |
| $1,286 to $7,749 | 32% |
| Above $7,749 | 15% |
Full mechanics — AIME indexing, worked PIA examples, and the family-maximum formula — live on the Social Security bend points reference page.
Numbers in hand — now coordinate the claim.
Earnings test, taxation of benefits, survivor planning: an advisor can fold Social Security into your full retirement income picture. WiserAdvisor connects you with up to three local fiduciaries, free, in about 5 minutes.
FinanceWonk earns a referral fee when readers request a match through this link — at no cost to you.
Social Security 2026 Questions
What is the Social Security COLA for 2026?
2.8%, announced October 24, 2025 (delayed nine days by the government shutdown). It applies to benefits payable beginning December 2025, which arrive in January 2026 checks. The COLA is the percentage increase in the CPI-W from Q3 2024 to Q3 2025.
How much of my income is subject to Social Security tax in 2026?
Up to $184,500 of wages or self-employment income — the taxable maximum, up from $176,100 in 2025. You and your employer each pay 6.2% on earnings up to that cap. The 1.45% Medicare tax applies to all earnings with no cap.
How much can I earn while collecting benefits before full retirement age?
$24,480 in 2026 if you are under FRA all year — above that, $1 of benefits is withheld per $2 earned. In the calendar year you reach FRA, the limit jumps to $65,160 with a gentler $1-per-$3 reduction, counting only earnings before the month you reach FRA. Once you reach FRA there is no earnings limit, and withheld benefits are credited back through a recalculation.
What is the full retirement age in 2026?
67 for everyone born in 1960 or later. 2026 is the year the 1983 amendments finish phasing in: workers born in 1959 reach their FRA of 66 and 10 months during 2025–2026, and from then on FRA is a flat 67.
How do I earn Social Security credits in 2026?
One credit per $1,890 of covered earnings, up to four credits per year — so $7,560 of 2026 earnings secures the maximum four. You need 40 credits (roughly 10 working years) to qualify for retirement benefits.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for guidance tailored to your situation.
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