For the more than 72 million people who depend on Social Security benefits to pay their bills, getting their check is one of the most important days of the month.
Any changes to the amount of the monthly payment are very important because they will have a direct effect on their finances. Since the Bureau of Labor Statistics finally confirmed the new cost of living adjustment (COLA) for next year, people who get Social Security can not wait for this yearly boost to start in January 2025.
Get more information about when your Social Security check will go up for the first time if you are currently eligible for Retirement, Survivorship, Disability Insurance (RSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Social Security checks will increase in January following the 2025 COLA boost announcement
Soon, people will start getting more money from Social Security. Because of the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send 2.5% more in benefits next year.
The 2025 COLA will change how much people who are retired, widowed, or disabled get paid. This includes Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Because the COLA went up by 2.5%, people who get benefits from the retirement, survivor, disability, and SSI programs will get the following amounts in payments:
| Retirement benefits | Social Security checks | 2.57% COLA increase | 2.63% COLA increase |
| On average | $1,900 | $1,949 | $1,950 |
| Age 62 | $2,710 | $2,780 | $2,781 |
| Age 67 | $3,822 | $3,920 | $3,923 |
| Age 70 | $4,873 | $4,998 | $5,001 |
| Survivor benefits | Social Security checks | 2.57% COLA increase | 2.63% COLA increase |
| On average | $1,505 | $1,544 | $1,545 |
| Individual | $1,773 | $1,819 | $1,820 |
| 2 Children | $3,653 | $3,747 | $3,749 |
| Disability benefits | Social Security checks | 2.57% COLA increase | 2.63% COLA increase |
| On average | $1,537 | $1,577 | $1,577 |
| Blind recipients | $2,590 | $2,657 | $2,658 |
| Maximum payment | $3,822 | $3,920 | $3,923 |
The most that the federal government will pay in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) each month is $967 for an eligible person, $1,450 for an eligible person and an eligible spouse, and $484 for an essential person.
It is important to remember that because Social Security benefits are based on each person’s situation, each recipient will get a different amount.
To get an idea, you can add 2.5% to your current benefits. In the mail or through their My Social Security account, beneficiaries will get a notice from SSA about their new amount.
When will the first additional Social Security 2025 payments be sent?
In January 2025, more than 68 million people who get Social Security will get a 2.5% COLA adjustment. But for about 7.5 million people who get Supplemental Security Income, the higher payments will start on December 31, 2024, since the January payment was moved earlier. This means that the official date for sending the first higher payments is:
- Tuesday, December 31, 2024: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will get their January payment in advance, as January 1st is a holiday.
- Friday, January 3rd: Beneficiaries who applied for their first paycheck before May 1997
- Wednesday, January 8th: Beneficiaries with a date of birth between the 1st and 10th of January.
- Wednesday, January 15th: Beneficiaries with date of birth between the 11th and the 20th.
- Wednesday, January 22nd: Beneficiaries with a date of birth between the 21st and 31st of January
- Friday, January 31: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will get their February payment in advance.
While the Social Security Administration has a set schedule, some recipients may not get their payments on time. If this happens, you should wait at least a few days before calling customer service, since the delay could be caused by the way your bank processes transactions.
Also, beneficiaries should remember that they can go to their My Social Security Account to get financial statements and learn more about their monthly benefits.
