The SSA announced a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for 2025, and has now confirmed a 2.8% COLA for 2026. This cost-of-living adjustment, COLA for short, can help to offset the effects of rising inflation on your quality of life while receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
Last updated: February 8, 2026
In addition to understanding changes to Social Security disability benefit payments, it is important to familiarize yourself with 1) the payment benefit amounts associated with each type of recipient and 2) the structure and approximate calculations behind these Social Security disability benefit payments. To make your life even easier, the team at Michael Armstrong Law has put together a straightforward guide to help you understand the key points and payment structures behind SSI and SSDI respectively.
Note: Despite the brief partial government shutdown that ended on February 3, 2026, all SSI and SSDI benefit payments have continued on schedule with no disruption. You can learn more about how government shutdowns affect your disability benefits here.
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payment Chart for 2026
The 2.5% COLA increase was effective as of January 2025. For 2026, the 2.8% COLA will be effective January 2026 (with SSI payments beginning December 31, 2025).
The following SSI pay chart is now applicable for 2026 and is solely applicable for SSI benefit payments. You can find this information directly on SSA.gov for SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2026:
The Social Security Disability Insurance Calculations and Structure for 2025 and 2026
Unfortunately, the calculations for SSDI are individual-specific and pertain to your earnings covered by Social Security (you paid Social Security taxes on these earnings). Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) operates under a different formula than SSI. Most importantly, it requires the fulfillment of these elements for eligibility:
- You must have worked long enough in an occupation covered by Social Security to earn sufficient work credits. Typically, this is the accumulation of 40 work credits within a consecutive, 10-year period.
- Your condition must meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) strict definition of a qualified disability.
- The disability must be expected to last at least a minimum of 12 months or result in death.
- You must be unable to perform Substantial Gainful Activity that exceeds the SGA limit as defined by the SSA ($1,620 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,700 per month for statutorily blind individuals in 2025; increasing to $1,690 and $2,830, respectively, in 2026).
The details of the exact calculation can be confusing, but we find that many SSDI payments fall in a broad range depending on individual earnings history. For reference, the average monthly SSDI benefit is approximately $1,630 in 2026 — an increase of roughly $44 per month from the 2025 average of approximately $1,586, reflecting the 2.8% COLA. The SSA uses your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) over your covered earnings (you paid Social Security taxes on these earnings) over multiple years in order to calculate your SSDI benefit payments.
Important Parting Notes About SSDI And SSI Benefit Calculations
If you are represented in your SSDI case by an attorney or non-attorney representative, please be advised that this individual cannot negotiate your monthly benefit. The benefit formulas are strictly developed by Social Security’s own rules and regulations. We have found that using the SSA’s disability calculator or calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 is the best option for receiving further info on estimating your probable SSDI benefit amounts.