2026 Taxable Wage Base Announced

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued the 2026 adjustments for benefits and certain other limitations that are subject to annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) indices. One of these includes the increase in the Social Security taxable wage base (TWB)—the maximum amount of yearly earnings subject to Social Security taxes. The TWB is sometimes also used in retirement plan contribution allocations that use “integrated” formulas, providing additional retirement plan benefits on income above the TWB, income for which the recipient will not receive Social Security benefits. For 2026, the TWB will rise from $176,100 to $184,500.