Program
Social Security retirement benefits
Monthly retirement payments from Social Security, with a yearly cost-of-living increase.
- Official name
- Social Security Retirement Benefits and the annual COLA
- Where
- Nationwide
- Status
- Program running
- Most it pays
- $4,207 monthly
- About the amount
- 2026: $4,152/mo max at full retirement age; SSA's max-earner examples for a January 2026 retirement: $2,969 at 62, $4,207 at 67, $5,181 at 70. A 2.8% COLA applied for 2026 (announced Oct 24, 2025); the 2027 COLA is not yet announced as of 9/28/2026, expected around Oct 14, 2026.
- How long it takes
- No SSA-published processing timeline.
- How to apply
- Apply online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at a local Social Security office.
- Official source
- ssa.gov
- Last checked
- January 1, 2026