Social Security maximum may reach $5,251 a month for some Americans

A 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment will raise the Social Security maximum monthly benefit to $5,251 in 2026; to qualify for the maximum, beneficiaries must have 35 years of work, have paid maximum payroll taxes for those years, and claim benefits at age 70.

Social Security beneficiaries may see a larger monthly payment in 2026 due to a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment. The adjustment raises the maximum monthly benefit to $5,251, while the average monthly payment remains about $2,071. Recipients who receive the maximum would take home more than $63,000 in 2026, which sources say is similar to average senior household spending. Eligibility for the maximum requires meeting specific work and tax history conditions and claiming at age 70. Key details: - The cost-of-living adjustment for 2026 is 2.8%, up from 2.5% in 2025. - The maximum monthly Social Security benefit is reported as $5,251 in 2026. - The average monthly Social Security check is about $2,071. - Maximum beneficiaries would receive more than $63,000 in 2026, which is noted as roughly equal to average senior household spending (reported by Motley Fool). - To qualify for the maximum payout, a person must have worked 35 years, paid the maximum Social Security taxes for those years, and applied for benefits at age 70. - The Social Security Administration determines benefits using a worker's highest 35 years of earnings adjusted for inflation (reported by Yahoo Finance). Summary: The 2.8% COLA raises the official maximum monthly Social Security benefit to $5,251 in 2026 and highlights the gap between maximum and average payments. Undetermined at this time.