Those retiring in 2025 at age 62 can earn a maximum possible benefit of $2,910 per month in 2026. If you file at age 67, the maximum benefit next year will be $4,156 per month. To earn the highest possible payment of $5,251 per month, you'll need to wait until age 70 to begin claiming.

Social Security payments for the month of November follow a normal schedule. A 2.8% cost-of-living increase (COLA) takes affect in January 2026.

Social Security is a financial lifeline for retirees, but the way you access it is shifting. As 2025 unfolds, administrative priorities are changing how millions of people interact with the program day-to-day.

Whether age 70 is a long way away or just around the corner, maximizing your Social Security benefits involves waiting to make a claim.

It seems the only constant in life is change. Let's take a look at why the 2026 COLA is both good and bad for Social Security recipients.

When you work and collect Social Security benefits before your FRA, you are subject to the Retirement Earning Test that could result in a temporary reduction of your benefits.

W hen the Social Security Administration (SSA) speaks, 75 million Americans listen. The headline news for 2026 is the 2.8% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), which will provide an average monthly increase of about $56 for retirees.

Social Security benefits are a critical source of income for many people. Unfortunately, some of the individuals who are reliant on benefits may soon find themselves facing one of the biggest benefit cuts in history.