As we near the end of the year, the Social Security Administration has announced its annual cost living adjustment numbers, though this year’s increase is likely not as high as most disabled people would like.
For 2026, individuals receiving disability or retirement benefits will see their monthly payments go up by 2.8 percent.
In practical terms, that means that someone receiving the average monthly Social Security Disability Insurance benefit of $1,586 will see it increase to $1,630. Supplemental Security Income benefits, currently capped at $967 per month for individuals, will go up to $994. A couple receiving SSI benefits will see their maximum payments increase from $1,450 to $1,491.
Along with increase in benefits comes new guidelines for how much disabled people can work while still being eligible for benefits.
In 2025, a non-blind individual seeking disability benefits could make up to $1,620 per month and still be eligible for SSDI or SSI. Next year, that amount will increase to $1,690. For blind individuals, substantial gainful activity will go up to $2,830 per month from the current $2,700.
In addition, the monthly trial work period amount, which is what those receiving benefits can make before entering a period where their benefits can be reduced or eliminated, increases to $1,210 from $1,160.
The annual cost of living adjustment is linked to a subset of data from the Consumer Price Index, a basket of goods and services monitored by the federal government. It’s often been criticized for not really reflecting the cost of necessities like housing, utilities, and fuel.
