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Many Social Security recipients will soon receive their first benefit checks for 2026.
Depending on the Social Security Administration’s schedule based on date of birth, the earliest a beneficiary can receive their January payment is January 14th.
These checks will include a 2.8% benefit increase thanks to the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment announced in October.
Beneficiaries could see higher premiums for Medicare Part B health insurance this year, putting pressure on their checkbooks. Standard Part B premiums are increasing to $202.90 per month, an increase of $17.90 or 9.7% compared to 2025.
Here’s what Social Security recipients should look out for and when they’ll receive their first checks in 2026.
Retirement allowance will increase by approximately $56 per month
The Social Security Administration announced in October that the 2.8% Social Security cost of living adjustment will increase retirement benefits by about $56 per month on average into 2026.
This rate of increase is higher than the 2.5% experienced by benefit increase beneficiaries in 2025, but lower than the average 3.1% experienced by COLA beneficiaries over the past 10 years.
To be sure, how much of an increase a beneficiary receives depends on the size of their current benefit. To receive the maximum benefits in retirement, experts typically recommend holding off on claiming benefits for as long as possible, until age 70.
Social Security recipients could also benefit from a new senior tax credit included in President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which aims to keep taxes on benefits in check until 2028. But that doesn’t mean you won’t pay federal taxes on your benefits based on your income level.
Beneficiaries can choose to have taxes withheld from their Social Security benefits to anticipate these tax burdens.
Medicare Part B premiums increase by nearly 10%
Premiums associated with Medicare Part B, which covers medical and preventive services, will increase in 2026.
That could affect how much 2.8% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment beneficiaries receive. Your monthly Medicare Part B premium is often deducted directly from your monthly check.
The Hold Harmless Clause prevents beneficiaries from having their Medicare Part B premiums increase beyond the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.
Standard Medicare Part B premiums increased from $185 per month in 2025 to $202.90 per month in 2026. This is an increase of $17.90 or 9.7%. This premium applies to beneficiaries whose modified adjusted gross income is $109,000 or less for individual taxpayers and $218,000 or less for married couples filing jointly.
Individuals and couples with higher incomes pay higher premium rates, known as income-related monthly adjustments, which affect about 8% of Medicare Part B beneficiaries, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
IRMAA income levels are typically based on two years of prior tax returns.
Social Security recipients may also have their premiums for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage or private Medicare Advantage insurance deducted from their monthly checks.
“Many people don’t realize that there are significant savings at the pharmacy they use,” says Mary Johnson, an independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst. He recently helped a family save $600 a month on regular medication by switching to a mail-order pharmacy.
Current Medicare Advantage enrollees may save money by switching plans during the open enrollment period, which runs through March 31.
Certain new policies could allow Social Security recipients to keep more of their money. A new senior citizen credit of up to $6,000 will help offset federal taxes on benefits at tax time. Meanwhile, the first 10 prescription drugs eligible for Medicare price negotiations go into effect on Jan. 1 and could save some retirees more than 50% this year, according to AARP.
When will the 2026 Social Security test start?
Approximately 75 million Social Security and Supplemental Security income beneficiaries will benefit from a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment in 2026, according to the Social Security Administration.
About 7.5 million people who rely on SSI began receiving checks as of Dec. 31, the agency said.
Certain individuals may have received payments on January 2, such as those receiving both Social Security and SSI benefits or those who started Social Security before May 1997.
The remaining Social Security recipients will receive payments based on their date of birth.
People born between the 1st and 10th of their birth month will be paid on the second Wednesday of each month. The first checks of the year are scheduled for January 14th.
People born between the 11th and 20th of their birth month will receive their check on the third Wednesday of each month. The first check of 2026 will be made on January 21st.
People born between the 21st and 31st of their birth month will be paid on the fourth Wednesday of the month, with checks expected to arrive on January 28th.
