The 2026 Social Security COLA Might Not Be Your Only Benefit Boost Next Year If You Fall Into 1 of These 3 Groups

We tend to see getting more money as a good thing. But when you're talking about Social Security benefits that serve as your primary source of retirement income, it's hard not to feel a little disappointed when you hear that the average check will only grow by $56 per month next year.

It's possible to receive a little more than this, though it still might not be enough to cover the higher costs you may be facing due to increased inflation. However, if you fall into one of the three groups below, you could see a second benefit bump in 2026, and it might be more significant than the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

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1. Continuing to work and earning more than in years past

The Social Security Administration bases your monthly retirement benefit on your average monthly income over your 35 highest-earning years, adjusted for inflation. Calculating your benefit is straightforward enough if you wait until you're retired to apply. It's a little trickier if you continue to work while claiming.

Every year, the government will look at your income data from the year prior to determine if it was higher than any of your existing 35 highest-earning years. If the answer is no, your benefit stays the same, apart from a small bump from the COLA. If the answer is yes, the government will recalculate your benefit based on this new information, and you'll get larger checks going forward.

Don't expect to see this increase right away in January, though. It can take some time for the Social Security Administration to complete this change for all affected beneficiaries. But any benefit increase will be retroactive to January.

2. Reaching full retirement age (FRA) after having money withheld due to the earnings test

The Social Security earnings test withholds benefits from certain seniors who claim checks and earn more than a certain amount of income from their jobs while under their full retirement age (FRA). Your FRA depends on your birth year. It's 67 for those born in 1960 or later, though older adults have younger FRAs.

In 2025, you lose $1 for every $2 you earn over $23,400 if you're under your FRA all year. You only lose $1 for every $3 you earn over $62,160 if you'll reach your FRA this year and earn that much before your birth month. These limits will rise to $24,480 and $65,160, respectively, in 2026.

This could cost you some or all of your checks in certain months, depending on your annual income and the benefit you qualify for. But there is a silver lining. Once you reach your FRA, the government increases your benefit to account for what it withheld previously.

This increase will vary, depending on how much the Social Security Administration kept back from you in past years. This change should take effect in the month you reach your FRA. But keep in mind that Social Security payments go out in the month after they're due. So if you reach your FRA in June, you won't notice a difference until your July payment.

3. Becoming eligible for a spousal benefit that's larger than your retirement benefit

Many married people find themselves dually eligible for Social Security -- that is, they qualify for a retirement benefit based on their own work history and a spousal benefit based on their partner's work record. However, the Social Security Administration only pays you the larger of the two, and you can't claim a spousal benefit until your partner is receiving their retirement benefit.

Your spousal benefit is worth up to one-half of the retirement benefit your partner qualifies for at their FRA. However, you could get less than this if you claim before your own FRA. You don't have to worry about doing the math on your own. If your spouse is already claiming benefits when you apply, the Social Security Administration will automatically determine which type of benefit will give you the most money.

If you're claiming a retirement benefit and your partner applies later, you may have to contact the Social Security Administration to check whether switching to a spousal benefit would give you more money than you're currently receiving. If the answer is yes, it should switch you over to the larger spousal benefit.

It's difficult to estimate what kind of increase you could get from any of the above scenarios. A lot depends on your work history. If you have any questions about how these situations could affect your checks, contact the Social Security Administration for the most accurate information.

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