An Increase in Social Security Benefits in 2017
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 17, 2021
The annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) usually means an increase in the benefit amount people receive each month. By law, the monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefit rate increases when there is a rise in the cost of living. The government measures changes in the cost of living through the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W).
The CPI-W rose this year. When inflation increases, your cost of living also goes up. Prices for goods and services, on average, are a little more expensive. Since the CPI-W did rise, the law increases benefits to help offset inflation. As a result, monthly Social Security and SSI benefits for over 65 million Americans will increase 0.3 percent in 2017.
Other changes that would normally take effect based on changes in the national average wage index will begin in January 2017. For example, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security payroll tax will increase to $127,200.
Information about Medicare changes for 2017, when announced, will be available at www.Medicare.gov. For some beneficiaries, their Social Security increase may be partially or completely offset by increases in Medicare premiums.
You can find more information about the 2017 COLA at www.socialsecurity.gov/cola. For changes in the national average wage index, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/COLA/AWI.html.
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Tags: Cost of living adjustment, Medicare, SSI
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Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications
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J. E.
That so called .3% raise is SS in a slap in the face. I did not get 1 red cent more! What a joke! That was not Trumps doing, it was during Obama’s last year. Laughing in our faces!!
karen m.
Well if you good stamps don’t go by our sis check how come I get 733.00 from sis and 17.00 dollars in food stamps & my food samp drop to 15.00 dollars and my sis went up to 735.00 tell me it don’t
Beau b.
i like turtles
Confused
I hate Trump as bad as anyone else who’s previously followed his career in reality TV. But, the day Trump started his presidency, I suddenly got a whole bunch of money from SSI for backpayments. They said that since over the years the cost of living increased but they didn’t increase my payment, I’m getting back pay and I’m going from 400 something a month to 700 something a month. Now I worry about my food stamps, which are actually cash since I’m on SSI. But now, won’t the food stamps be taken away unless I can think of some extra fee of $190? I cannot afford rent, so I’m stuck in a parents basement and waiting for subsidized housing to be built but the entire amount of food stamps will go away now, I think that’s SSI’s idea. I want to know how we can keep our food benefits. Rent in my city the cheapest is $1500.
A.C.
The assistance you receive from the food stamps program, also called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), does not affect your SSI benefits. For more information on SNAP, please read our publication, Nutrition Assistance Programs, or call your state or local social services office. Thanks!
GEORGE
WHY WOULD APOLITICION SPEND BILLION TO GET
ELECTED TO A 100,00 AYEAR JOB ITS SURE NOT TO HELP THE PUBLIC.
Sassy
My SSD went up a whoppin $2. I was getting $36 in snap, it went down $1. My rent will likely go up and the co–pays on my meds, so what’s the use? They give a tad in one place and take back more in other places.
Robert
Obama Care…Obama Care…THAT’S ALL YOU HEAR ABOUT….if I WERE TRUMP I WOULD NOT FIGHT TO IMPROVE IT AND GET SICK OVER IT!
JUST PUT ALL THE US SENATE AND CONGRESS
ON THE OBAMA PLAN AND WATCH HOW FAST IT WILL GET ATTENTION AND GET MODIFIED!!!!
also INTRODUCE A LAW TO HAVE THE SENATE AND CONGRESS WORK WITH ONLY 5 WEEKS TOTAL VACATION PER YEAR…. RIGHT NOW IT’S JUST A JOKE WATCHING THEM STAND AROUND
SLINGING BS DURING THERE SESSIONS IN DC AND THEN EATING OUT AT EXPENSIVE RESTURANTS EVENINGS WITH ONLY $180 MEAL ALLOWANCES PER DAY………WHAT A SHAME
LET THEM GO TO MCDONALDS TO EAT LIKE MUCH OF AMERICA….
VOTE THEM OUT OUT OUT WHEN RE-ELECTION COMES!!!!!
FORGET ABOUT THE .3% SS INCREASE… COLA…
IT IS A DAM JOKE. THEY ARE ALL LAUGHING AT US RETIRED PEOPLE …PROBABLY SAYING HOW STUPID WERE ARE…..
SICKENING!!!!!!!
Heather
Current SSI payments are $735 a month, which is $8820 a year. WHICH IS BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, which is $11880. The US Government needs to increase the SSI amount dramatically. If the US government increase the amount substantially, then there would be NO SNAP. Think about that for a moment. People would them be able to afford rent… Then there would be NO HOUSING ASSISTANT PROGRAMS. Think about that for a moment. SSI should be doubled, if not tripled. Before yoiu open your month about what I just wrote, know that I hold a MBA and have done research… The population as a whole would be better off with a substantial increase.
Joeann W.
This increase on Social Security was the Smallest ever. Why take from seniors on a fixed income? What are we going to do?
JB
My wife and I both received our benefit summaries for 2017.
Both are wrong. The increase was less than 3% for my wife and slightly greater for me.
But in both cases we received no net monthly increase because the amount of the Medicare increase exactly matched the amount the benefit increased even though the percentages were different. Unbelievable coincidence or out-and-out error? I would bet on the latter.
Both the amount of the benefit increase and the amount of the Medicare deduction appear to be incorrect. This is basic arithmetic.
Disappointed Recipient
Wanda
I am having difficulty understanding how my husband and I are getting to the penny, the exact same net amount of ss as in 2016. I would like to get and explanation.
R.F.
Hi Wanda. For some beneficiaries, their Social Security increase may be partially or completely offset by increases in Medicare premiums.
Joeann W.
Why? It took 2 yr to get the smallest raise ever.