Citing the shutdown, the Social Security Administration postponed its announcement of the annual payment bump beneficiaries will receive in 2026.

President Trump's tariff and trade policy is set to influence Social Security's "raise" for the upcoming year.

Trump’s tariffs have led to trade tensions between the United States and other countries while boosting prices on many items and overall inflation. However, the tariffs also could lead to higher monthly payments for more than 70 million Americans who receive Social Security benefits.

“The following examples apply if you earned the taxable maximum in each year beginning at age 22 and start receiving benefits in 2025,” it adds. “If you retire at full retirement age in 2025, your benefit would be $4,018. If you retire at age 62 in 2025, your benefit would be $2,831. If you retire at age 70 in 2025, your benefit would be $5,108.”

To make a long story short, we can reasonably expect the average Social Security check in 2026 for the 70 million people who receive them will be $1,915 per month. Of course, this is before Medicare Part B premiums or any taxes are deducted, which can certainly make a difference.