The April 2025 Cost-of-Living Adjustment and Benefit Increases
Starting in April 2025, Social Security benefit payments will increase by 2.67 percent. This is the annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, which the Social Security Administration recalculates each year based on inflation data from the previous 12 months. The 2.67 percent figure was announced in October 2024 and applies to all beneficiaries receiving retirement, survivor, and disability benefits.
The exact dollar amount you receive depends on your current benefit. Someone receiving $1,500 per month would see an increase of about $40 per month. Someone receiving $3,000 per month would see an increase of about $80 per month. The Social Security Administration will deposit the increased amount directly to your bank account or payment card starting with the April payment, which arrives on your regular payment date.
This adjustment also affects Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments and the federal benefit rate for SSI recipients. The increase does not require you to take any action — it happens automatically if you are already receiving benefits.
Key Takeaways
- All Social Security retirement, disability, and survivor benefits increase by 2.67 percent in April 2025, with the new amount appearing in your regular monthly payment.
- The cost-of-living adjustment is calculated annually and reflects inflation from the previous year, so the percentage changes year to year.
- You do not need to do anything to receive the increase — it is automatic for current beneficiaries.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefit rates also increase by 2.67 percent in April 2025.
- If you have not yet started receiving benefits, the increase will be factored into your first payment once you begin.
How the Cost-of-Living Adjustment Is Calculated
The Social Security Administration uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to determine the COLA each year. The agency compares the average CPI-W for the third quarter of the current year (July, August, September) to the average for the third quarter of the previous year. If there is an increase, beneficiaries receive a COLA that matches that percentage.
The 2.67 percent adjustment for 2025 reflects the inflation measured between the third quarter of 2023 and the third quarter of 2024. This is why the announcement comes in October — the Social Security Administration needs time to process the change and notify beneficiaries before payments increase in April.
If inflation is flat or negative, beneficiaries do not receive a COLA that year, and benefit amounts stay the same. This has happened only three times since COLA began in 1975.
When You Will See the Increase in Your Payment
The increased benefit amount appears in your April payment, which arrives on your regular payment date. Most beneficiaries receive payments on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of each month, depending on their birth date. If your payment date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the payment arrives on the business day before.
If you receive your benefits by direct deposit to a bank account or payment card, you will see the new amount on your regular deposit date in April. If you receive a paper check, the check will reflect the new amount. You do not need to contact Social Security or take any steps to receive the increase.
Impact on Medicare Premiums and Other Deductions
For many beneficiaries, the increase in Social Security benefits is partially offset by increases in Medicare Part B premiums, which also change in January each year. The Medicare premium increase for 2025 was announced separately and may reduce the net gain you see from the COLA.
Some beneficiaries are protected by a hold-harmless provision, which means their Social Security benefit cannot decrease even if Medicare premiums rise. This protection applies if you were already receiving both Social Security and Medicare Part B before the premium increase took effect. If you fall into this category, your benefit will not go down, though it may not increase by the full 2.67 percent if the premium increase is large.
Other deductions from your benefit — such as taxes withheld if you work while receiving benefits, or court-ordered payments — are calculated based on your new benefit amount.
Changes to Earnings Limits for Working Beneficiaries
If you are receiving Social Security retirement benefits and still working, the earnings limit for 2025 is $23,400 per year. This limit determines how much you can earn before Social Security reduces your benefit by $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit. The earnings limit increases each year based on national wage trends.
The earnings limit applies only to beneficiaries who have not yet reached their full retirement age. Once you reach full retirement age, you can earn any amount without a reduction to your benefit. The month you reach full retirement age, a different earnings limit applies ($62,160 in 2025), but only to earnings before the month you reach that age.
If you are self-employed, your net profit counts toward the earnings limit. You should report your expected earnings to Social Security if you think you will exceed the limit, because overpayments must be repaid.
What Has Not Changed in April 2025
The full retirement age for new beneficiaries remains the same. If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is 67. If you were born between 1943 and 1954, your full retirement age is 66. The age continues to increase gradually for people born after 1954.
The maximum benefit amount for a worker retiring at full retirement age in 2025 is higher than in 2024 because of the COLA, but the rules for calculating your benefit based on your earnings record have not changed. If you have not yet started receiving benefits, your benefit will be calculated using your actual earnings history, and the COLA will be applied to that amount.
Survivor benefits and disability benefits follow the same COLA increase as retirement benefits. If you receive benefits as a spouse, child, or widow or widower of a beneficiary, your benefit increases by 2.67 percent as well.
How to Check Your Updated Benefit Amount
You can view your benefit information and payment history through your personal account on the Social Security website at ssa.gov. Create a "my Social Security" account if you do not already have one. Your account shows your current benefit amount, your payment dates, and your earnings record.
If you prefer to speak with someone, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to confirm your new benefit amount. Have your Social Security number ready. Wait times are typically shorter early in the morning or on weekdays.
You can also visit your local Social Security office in person. Find the nearest office at ssa.gov/locator. Bring your Social Security card and a photo ID.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the 2.67 percent increase explore to my survivor or disability benefits?
Yes. All types of Social Security benefits — retirement, disability, survivor, and family benefits — receive the same 2.67 percent increase in April 2025. If you receive benefits as a spouse, child, widow, or widower of a beneficiary, your payment increases by the same percentage.
What if I have not started receiving benefits yet — will I get the COLA?
Yes. When you begin receiving benefits, the 2.67 percent increase will already be factored into your first payment. You do not receive a separate increase later. The COLA is built into the benefit calculation for all new beneficiaries starting in April 2025 or later.
Does the COLA increase affect the amount I can earn while receiving benefits?
No. The earnings limit ($23,400 in 2025 for beneficiaries under full retirement age) is separate from the COLA. The earnings limit increases each year based on national wage trends, not on the Social Security COLA. However, your benefit amount itself increases by 2.67 percent, which may affect how much you lose if you exceed the earnings limit.
Can I request a larger increase or a different payment date?
No. The COLA is the same for all beneficiaries and is not negotiable. Your payment date is set based on your birth date and cannot be changed. If you need to change your payment method (direct deposit, check, or payment card), you can request that through your my Social Security account or by calling 1-800-772-1213.
If I am receiving SSI, will my payment increase by 2.67 percent too?
Yes. The federal benefit rate for Supplemental Security Income increases by 2.67 percent in April 2025. However, SSI payments are means-tested, meaning they depend on your income and resources. If your other income increases, your SSI payment may not increase by the full amount, or it may decrease. Contact your local Social Security office if you receive SSI and want to understand how the increase affects your specific situation.