Over 71 million people get retirement, SSI, and SSDI checks every month from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Social Security Administration (SSA) has many financial and insurance programs.
The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program helps millions of disabled people by giving them monthly amounts of $1,537 to $3,822.
People who want these benefits must meet certain requirements, such as showing that their condition greatly limits their ability to do substantial gainful activity (SGA). In order to be considered blind, a person must meet certain criteria set by the SSA.
The SSDI program is a lifesaver for many disabled Americans because it gives them the money they need to live.
The SSA figures out cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) to keep up with inflation, which means that the exact amount of these payments can change from year to year.
SSDI payment increase in 2025
People who get SSDI are expected to get a 2.63% raise in 2025 because of the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). The Senior Citizens League says that this rise is not as big as the ones seen in the last few years, even though it does add a little to monthly checks.
Just to give you some background, the COLA for 2024 was 3.2%, and it hit an impressive 8.7% in 2023 because of high inflation. The expected 2.63 percent rise is due to lower inflation, which keeps costs stable but makes benefit changes smaller.
How this increase impacts ssdi beneficiaries
The 2.63% raise will have different effects on people who get SSDI depending on how much they are currently getting. Here is a list of how these changes will affect your monthly payments:
- Average SSDI payment: Currently $1,537, will rise to $1,577 (an increase of $40 per month).
- Blind beneficiaries: Payments will increase from $2,590 to $2,658 per month.
- Maximum payment: Will increase from $3,822 to $3,923 per month.
This means that people who get the average SSDI payment will get an extra $480 a year. If someone makes $2,000 a month now, they would make $52 more each month, or $624 more over the course of a year.
The role of cpi-w and the uncertainty in final calculations
Bear in mind that these estimates are just that—an estimate. The real COLA for 2025 will not be decided until October 2024.
The main thing the SSA uses to figure out the annual change is the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Because inflation can change, the final COLA might be a little different from what we think it will be now.
In the past, COLA changes have been very different. Like 2010, 2011, and 2016, there were years when the rate of growth was almost zero.
The last two years, on the other hand, saw above-average rises because of the economy: a 5.9% rise in 2022 and a big 8.7% rise in 2023.
Other programs affected by cola
People who get Social Security payments, like retirees, widows, and people on Supplemental Security Income (SSI), will all see their benefits go up by 2.63%. This includes people who get SSDI. The following are some ways that the raise will affect other benefit programs:
| Benefit Type | Current Payment | With 2.63% Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Average retirement | $1,950 | $2,001 |
| Age 67 retirement | $3,923 | $4,026 |
| Survivor benefits (2 children) | $3,749 | $3,847 |
| Average SSI | $720 | $739 |
This change helps with money matters, but it also shows how important it is to carefully plan for the coming year, especially since the economy is changing and prices are going up and down.
Also see:-Social Security News: Date of the COLA raise and changes to payments in 2025
