Social Security Administration

The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 is 2.8%, which translates to an average monthly benefit increase of about $56 for Social Security beneficiaries.

The Social Security taxable maximum earnings (wage base) is scheduled to increase to $184,500 in 2026 from $176,100 in 2025.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers Social Security disability benefits through a disability adjudication process that determines eligibility and can be the subject of administrative improvements to increase efficiency.

Disability advocacy organizations engage with federal officials to seek assurances or influence policy decisions concerning Social Security disability programs.

The Social Security Administration uses consumer price data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as a key part of the formula to calculate annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for Social Security benefits.

E-Verify is a federal electronic system used by employers and some government agencies to verify an individual's authorization to work in the United States by checking Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records.

The Social Security Administration administers benefits to about 75 million beneficiaries.

Fraudsters often direct victims to fake agency websites or links to capture login credentials or solicit credit‑card information; a recommended defense is to avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages and instead navigate directly to the official agency website such as https://www.ssa.gov.

U.S. law requires the Social Security Administration to calculate Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) using third-quarter Consumer Price Index data and to publish those COLA increases before November 1.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) have overlapping technological and customer-service goals.

The Social Security Administration reported reducing the disability claims backlog by over 25% to 865,000 in 2025, reaching a level the agency said had not been seen since 2022.

The Social Security Administration reported that in-office wait times decreased by almost 27% to 22 minutes, down from 30 minutes, as reported in 2025.

The Social Security Administration reported that its 'my Social Security' online platform provides 24/7 access to individuals' Social Security information as of 2025.

The Social Security Administration reported a disability claims backlog of approximately 865,000 pending claims in 2025 and characterized that total as a reduction of over 25%.

As of 2025, the Social Security Administration's 'my Social Security' online platform provides 24/7 access to individuals' Social Security information.

The Social Security Administration adjusts Social Security benefits annually for its approximately 75 million recipients based on recent inflation data to preserve beneficiaries' purchasing power.

The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is calculated using inflation figures for the third quarter of the year, defined as July through September.

New Social Security cost-of-living adjustments take effect on January 1 of the year following the calculation period.

The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2025 was 2.5%.

Social Security beneficiaries received cost-of-living adjustments of 8.7% in 2023, 3.2% in 2024, and 2.5% in 2025.

Voter-roll audits and investigations commonly use cross-checks against records such as state motor vehicle agency records, the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database, Social Security Administration records, and federal jury pool data.

The Social Security Administration reported that the disability claims backlog totaled over 1.26 million pending claims in June 2024.

The Social Security Administration is the federal agency that administers Social Security.

The Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service both pursue technological improvements and customer service goals.

Social Security Administration benefit verification letters function as official income-verification documents that recipients use to apply for aid such as housing assistance, fuel assistance, and services from nonprofit organizations.

Recipients can obtain Social Security benefit verification letters through online accounts and the Social Security Administration's automated telephone system.

During lapses in appropriation, the Social Security Administration implements contingency plans that prioritize continued disbursement of benefits while certain in-person services may be suspended.

The Social Security Administration bases its annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on the inflation rate measured over the July-through-September period.

The Social Security Administration determines the program's annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) each fall using changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) measured over the July through September period.

The Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is tied to changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Medicare Part B premiums are deducted automatically from beneficiaries' monthly Social Security benefit payments.