If you're still working, it's easy to skip over announcements about upcoming Social Security changes because they seem irrelevant. But Social Security isn't only for seniors. It also pays out benefits to the families of disabled and deceased workers. And you fund the program every pay period through taxes.
So while you may not receive checks, Social Security changes can still affect you and your family. Three 2026 changes in particular are worth keeping in the back of your mind as you start looking ahead to next year.
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1. Changing definition of a Social Security credit
You must earn at least 40 Social Security credits if you hope to one day claim retirement benefits. A credit is defined as $1,810 in earnings in 2025, and you can earn a maximum of four credits per year.
In 2026, you'll have to work a bit harder to earn credits. You'll need $1,890 in earnings to claim one. The Social Security Administration adjusts the definition of a credit annually to match inflation.
You'll need $7,560 or more in earnings to get all four of your credits next year. Fortunately, this bar isn't too high, and even many part-time workers should be able to manage this.
This change may not affect you if you've already earned your 40 credits in past years. But the income you're earning today is still critical for calculating your future retirement benefit. The more you earn and pay Social Security taxes on, the more money you'll get back later.
2. Higher ceiling on maximum taxable earnings
The government doesn't assess Social Security taxes on all the income Americans earn in a year. In 2025, you only pay taxes on the first $176,100 you earn. This means ordinary Americans pay Social Security taxes on all of their income but high earners don't. It's a bit of a sore point for some people, especially since Social Security is now less than a decade from possible benefit cuts.
Next year, wealthy Americans will pay slightly more in taxes. Maximum taxable earnings will rise to $184,500 -- an $8,400 increase. However, it's likely to be a drop in the bucket for affected households. Traditionally, employed workers pay 6.2% of their incomes in Social Security payroll taxes. An extra 6.2% in taxes on $8,400 only amounts to about $521.
3. Increased earnings test limits
There's no rule against working and claiming Social Security benefits at the same time. But if you're under your full retirement age (FRA) -- 67 if you were born in 1960 or later -- you could run into problems with the earnings test if you make more than a certain amount of money at your job.
The earnings test withholds $1 from your checks for every $2 you earn over $23,400 in 2025 if you're under your FRA all year. Those who reach their FRA in 2025 only lose $1 for every $3 they earn over $62,160 if they earn that much before their birth month. These limits will rise to $24,480 and $65,160, respectively, in 2026.
This means you'll be able to earn more next year without losing money to the earnings test. But high earners could still forfeit some or all of their checks. Fortunately, that money isn't lost forever. You'll get it back at your FRA when the Social Security Administration increases your benefit. But for now, you may need to make some adjustments to your budget once you exceed the thresholds above.
These three changes mentioned here are annual updates that the Social Security Administration announces alongside the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in mid-October. If any of them affect you, don't forget to keep an eye out for future changes in 2027 and beyond.
