Last month somebody emailed me asking whether the COLA applies to SSI or only to "real" Social Security. I understood the instinct behind the question. SSI feels like assistance and the retirement program feels like an earned benefit, and it is easy to assume the raise is reserved for the earned side. The COLA formula does not care about that distinction.
Yes. SSI gets the same Social Security COLA as retirement benefits, at the same percentage, in the same year, every single year. The 2026 COLA of 2.8 percent hit SSI too, and the federal maximum for an individual rose from $967 to $994 a month. The percentage is shared across every program. The dollar amount is not, because the bases are wildly different.
SSI gets the same COLA, with one timing quirk
Social Security pays benefits a month late, which is why the COLA technically takes effect with December benefits even though retirees see it in January. SSI is not paid a month late, so it runs on the December schedule directly. The result: SSI recipients got the 2026 COLA on December 31, 2025, a few days before the first retiree checks with the new amount.
I find that timing quirk mildly funny. The poorest beneficiaries spot the raise first, post screenshots online, and that is where half the internet's COLA confusion starts each year. Somebody sees the new number on the 1st and assumes only SSI got a raise. Retirement, disability, and survivors all get it too, just on their normal Wednesday schedule.
Compare what the shared 2.8 percent did to each base. The percentage was identical. The dollars were not:
| Program | 2025 base | 2026 after 2.8% | Monthly gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSI, individual max | $967 | $994 | $27.08 |
| SSI, couple max | $1,450 | $1,491 | $40.60 |
| Avg. retirement benefit | $2,026 | $2,083 | $56.70 |
The average retirement figure is rounded from SSA's published monthly averages. The point of the table is not precision to the dime. It is that "same COLA" does not mean "same check increase." The percentage is identical, so the SSI recipient's $27 raise and the average retiree's $57 raise are the same COLA doing its job on different bases.
The wrinkle: people who get both SSI and retirement
About a third of SSI recipients also get some other Social Security benefit. If that is you, here is the part nobody mentions. Both of your checks get the 2.8 percent increase. But SSI counts most unearned income against its payment, so the raise to your retirement check mostly reduces your SSI payment. Your total goes up by roughly the COLA applied to the $20 general income exclusion, plus rounding differences. It is not a scam. It is how a needs-based program is designed to work, but it means the headline COLA overstates what concurrent beneficiaries actually pocket.
One more caveat on the SSI side. The $994 federal maximum is not what most people actually receive. States can add their own supplements, and those supplements follow state rules, not the federal COLA. Some states raise theirs alongside it. Others leave them frozen for years. So if your check went up by less than 2.8 percent, or barely moved, the state supplement is the first place to look before blaming the COLA.
If you want to check your own number: take your 2025 federal SSI payment, multiply by 1.028, and round down to the dime. That was your 2026 amount, and it has been in your account since New Year's Eve. The formula behind the percentage is the same CPI-W third-quarter comparison I keep the full history of on this site. It treats every program's base the same way; the raises land evenly, the dollars do not.
Frequently asked questions
Does SSI get the same COLA as Social Security retirement?
Yes. Every Social Security COLA applies at the same percentage to retirement, disability, survivors, and SSI. In 2026 that was 2.8%, which lifted the federal SSI individual maximum from $967 to $994 a month.
When do SSI recipients get the COLA increase?
SSI payments reflect the December benefit, so the new amount lands on December 31, a few days before most retirement checks. The 2026 COLA first appeared in SSI payments on December 31, 2025.
What is the 2026 SSI maximum payment after the COLA?
The federal maximum is $994 a month for an individual and $1,491 for an eligible couple, before any state supplement. Many states add their own supplement, and those do not always rise with the COLA.
If I get both SSI and retirement benefits, do both checks get the COLA?
Both payments get the same percentage increase, but SSI counts most of your retirement income against it. Your total generally rises by roughly the COLA applied to the $20 general income exclusion, plus rounding differences.
Can a COLA raise make me lose SSI eligibility?
It can for people sitting very close to the countable-income limit. The thresholds generally move with the COLA too, but a large raise paired with other income can push someone over. SSA adjusts records automatically, but check your notice if you are near the limit.
Browse the full COLA history, 1975 to 2026
Sources: Social Security Administration COLA information and 2026 payment schedule; legal analysis of concurrent SSI and retirement COLA effects. Figures verified October 2026.