Bigger Checks Coming To Mass. Residents Starting Dec. 31

The holidays are fast approaching and that means a new year is on the horizon. With every new year comes COLA, the cost of living increase for recipients of regular social security payments.

The increase won't be quite as high as 2024 where the amount of the COLA was 3.2%, for the year 2025 social security checks will be going up 2.5%.

For 2025, Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments will increase by 2.5%. This means that more than 72.5 million Americans will see a change in their benefit payments.

Some people will see the increased payment in late December, some in early January.

This year, for the first time, Social Security beneficiaries will receive a newly designed and improved COLA notice that makes it easier for customers to find the information they need most. The simplified COLA notice is now only one page, uses plain and personalized language, and provides exact dates and dollar amounts of a person’s new benefit amount and any deductions. -ssa.gov

Do checks go up by the same amount every year?

They does not.

Starting in 1975 there has been a yearly increase of varying percentages to keep up with the rising prices.

The biggest increase in history was in 1980.

The cost of living adjustment to social security payments in 1980 was a whopping 14.3%!

1981 saw an 11.2% increase in payment.

On the contrary, the years 2010, 2011, and 2016 saw no increase in payment.