COLA

Social Security Benefits Increase in 2019

January 3, 2019 • By

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Last Updated: November 3, 2023

" "Each year we announce the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Usually, there is an increase in the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit amount people receive each month, starting the following January. Law requires that federal benefit rates increase when the cost of living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

The CPI-W rises when prices increase for the things the average consumer buys. This means that when prices for goods and services we purchase become more expensive, on average, the COLA increases benefits and helps beneficiaries keep up with the changing cost of living.

More than 67 million Americans will see a 2.8 percent increase in their Social Security and SSI benefits in 2019.

This month marks other changes based on the increase in the national average wage index. For example, the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll tax will increase to $132,900 in 2019. The retirement earnings test exempt amount will also increase.

Want to know your new benefit amount? In December 2018, we posted Social Security COLA notices online for retirement, survivors, and disability beneficiaries who have a my Social Security account. You can view and save these COLA notices securely via the Message Center inside my Social Security.

Next year, be the first to know! Sign up for or log in to your personal my Social Security account. Choose email or text under “Message Center Preferences” to receive courtesy notifications so you won’t miss your electronic COLA notice!

This year, even if you accessed your COLA notice online, you still received your COLA notice by mail. In the future, you will be able to choose whether you receive your notice online instead of on paper. Online notices will not be available to representative payees, individuals with foreign mailing addresses, or those who pay higher Medicare premiums due to their income. We plan to expand the availability of COLA notices to additional online customers in the future.

Check our website for more information about the 2019 COLA. You can also read our publication Cost-of-Living Adjustment.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. wanda f.

    how do i go by getting award letters for 2019 never received any this year

  2. Charles B.

    I have an account but have been locked out for several months due to not changing my password occasionally(I am assuming that is the reason.) I was mailed a temporary password but it did not work. I am still locked out and none of my other PII is recognized either. (SSN, user name, date of birth, etc). Presently there is no way for me to access my account. Please advise.

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Charles. We are sorry to hear you had difficulty accessing your online account. If you are still unable to access an account or encounter a problem with your personal my Social Security account, you may:
      •Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. At the voice prompt, say “helpdesk”; or
      •Contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.

  3. Sadie A.

    I am 68 years old still working and receiving Social Security. I received a raise in October of last year. Will Social Security increase in January 2020?

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Sadie. Thanks for your question. We will not know if there will be a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2020, and if so the amount of the COLA, until the Department of Labor releases information on inflation for the past year. For the latest news and updates on Social Security, please visit here. We hope this helps.

  4. ellen s.

    my husband of 59 years passed away in may 2019, when should I expect to see a raise in my monthly pay and stop paying insurance on him I am pay 4hundred and something now, shouldn’t it be less with him gone
    thanks

  5. Christina

    I need a copy of the awards letter, showing the amount of what my grandson recieve for 2019

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Christina. For your grandson’s security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait if you call later in the day. You can also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.

  6. Fernando S.

    Do i get taxed when i collect SS payouts.

    • Ann C.

      Hi, Fernando. Some people have to pay federal income taxes on their Social Security benefits. This usually happens only if you have other substantial income (such as wages, self-employment, interest, dividends and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax return) in addition to your benefits. See our Benefits Planner: Income Taxes and Your Social Security Benefits for more information. Thanks!

  7. Michael B.

    why doesn’t this take one to the info one requests? I am tired of going in circles

  8. Jobless

    I got $43.50, so I did okay.

  9. Phyllis D.

    misplaced my award letter wanted to get the amount that is deposited in my checking acct each month

  10. Julio T.

    Do we seniors get the 2019 increase automatically or do we need to apply for it?

Comments are closed.