- Social Security Announces 2.8 Percent Benefit Increase for 2026
Beginning January 2026 the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be increased by 2.8 for those on SSI or SSDI For people on Social Security retirement, the average increase will be $56 per month.
https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/press/releases/2025-10-24.html
- Social Security adds 13 conditions to the Compassionate Allowance List (CAL)
That means that people with these conditions should get Social Security benefits (of course with evidence of the conditions). The new 13 CALs are:
- Au-Kline Syndrome
- Bilateral Anophthalmia
- Carey-Fineman-Ziter Syndrome
- Harlequin Ichthyosis – Child
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
- LMNA-related Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
- Progressive Muscular Atrophy
- Pulmonary Amyloidosis – AL Type
- Rasmussen Encephalitis
- Thymic Carcinoma
- Turnpenny-Fry Syndrome
- WHO Grade III Meningiomas
- Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim Syndrome
The list of CAL conditions is at : https://www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances/
For those on the CAL list, the way it is designed to work is that once the medical evidence is given to the Social Administration, the claims are to be accelerated and ruled on faster than other medical issues.
Of course, anyone applying for Social Security benefits should talk to an attorney who handles those types of cases, so that it is more likely that they will get their benefits, as a person who handles these cases on a regular basis can make sure nothing is missed.