Overview
- Payments this week go to beneficiaries born on the 11th–20th, with the next round on Feb. 25 for birthdays on the 21st–31st and March SSI arriving Feb. 27.
- As of December, the average retired-worker benefit was $2,071.30, while high earners see large differences by start age—about $2,969 at 62, roughly $4,152 at full retirement age, and near $5,181 at 70.
- For 2026, the earnings test withholds $1 for every $2 above $24,480 if you will not reach full retirement age this year, and $1 for every $3 above $65,160 in the year you reach it.
- Benefits withheld for working before full retirement age are later recalculated and returned through higher checks, though any early-filing reduction remains permanent.
- Analysts warn full payments could face cuts around 2034 without action by Congress, and the Senior Citizens League projects a 2.8% COLA for 2027 after this year’s increase.