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. About C.

    I get to have earned my first SS check this December of 2019.

  2. Thomas R.

    Ok so we got a 2.8 increase on our payment so did the Amoumt that you can make trying to work go up ??

    • V.V.

      Hi Thomas, thank you for using our blog. To see all of the 2019 Social Security changes, check out the 2019 Factsheet.

  3. S. T.

    The good news this year is that the increase will not be entirely eaten up by the increase in the Medicare B premium.

  4. Billie S.

    Great and our cost for medical insurance went up more than we received in added benefits.

  5. Margret A.

    I have not received my 2019 yearly notice of benefits. 8 moved to Seattle Washington, north 98133. My previous address was , Eugene, Oregon 97142. My benefits are direct deposit with Well Fargo

    • V.V.

      Hi Margret. Most beneficiaries can check out their COLA notice in the Message Center of their my Social Security account.

      If you need to update your address, you can use your personal my Social Security account.

      If you are unable to change your address online, you can:
      •Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; or
      •Contact your local Social Security office.

      Just a reminder – Please be cautious about posting personal information on social media channels.

  6. WILLIAM F.

    WHY AT 7 5 WORKED ALL MY LIFE UNDER SOCIAL SECURITY SINCE AGE 13 MY WHY PAST AWAY WHICH TOOK 30 PERCENT OF MY SOCIAL SECURITY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BARELY WORKED 5 YEARS GET A LEAST 400 T0 500

    MORE PER MONTH OR CLAIM TO BE MENTALLY
    SICK DRAW SO MUCH MORE THEY EVEN HAVE TO QUALIFY WITH QUARTERS TO DRAW I SERVED MY COUNTRY IN AIR FORCE DICHARDED HONERABLY. NOW I HAVE TO DEPEND ON KIDS TO SUPPORT

    ME PLS HELP MY S/S NUMBER IS MY NAME WILLIAM F PATRICK

    MY PHONE NUMBER IS 4104
    CAN PLS RUN MY NUMBERS AGAIN TO

    SE IF ANYTHING ELSE MAY HELP ME

    IM WAY LESS THAN A 1,000. A MONTH
    THANK YOU LISTENING

  7. Herman S.

    Well I truly believe that the system which my social security needs to be fixed where as the person as my self is having a very hard time once I enter my information within the system to look at my information ,but each time says it does not remember me so am diend to enter then three times am locked out ,that is not good at all .I have also changed my password plenty of times still unable to get in to the system. so social security needs to make this system much easyer to get in to.

    • V.V.

      Hi Herman, thanks for using our blog. Sorry to hear you are having difficulties accessing your my Social Security account. For assistance with your account, you may:
      •Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. At the voice prompt, say “helpdesk”; or
      •Contact your local Social Security office.

  8. Pagona M.

    Thank you for the notices. Please inform me
    since I live in Greece, when I will receive how
    much I received for the year 2018, so that I can
    prepare my income tax return.
    thank you and Happy New Year 2019
    My social security is *** – ** – ***

    • V.V.

      Hi Pagona. We send the 2018 SSA-1099’s (Social Security Benefit Statement) in January showing the amount of benefits received in the prior calendar year. A worksheet (IRS Notice 703) is included for determining whether any portion of the Social Security benefits received are subject to income tax.

      Beginning in February, if you need a replacement SSA-1099, contact the nearest Federal Benefit Unit or U.S. embassy in the area for any assistance related to Social Security programs and benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad.

  9. Patricia W.

    I am currently working and paying in more than I get. My name is Patricia Wilson and my Ss is *** – ** – ***. My DOB is 1/22/1952. Is there anyway I can get my benefits increased?

  10. Vivian S.

    My spouse is legally blind thus does not use the internet. He is also hearing impaired. When I attempted to set up an on line account for him, it was not allowed because I used the same phone number as mine. He does not have a separate phone. WHY can’t two people use the same phone number…..especially husband and wife

    • V.V.

      Hi Vivian, thank you for your question. You are not required to register a cell phone when creating an account. Your spouse can register and use a valid email address for the second level of authentication. You and your spouse can both register using a common email address. There is no registration exclusion related to email addresses.

      For assistance with his account, he may:
      •Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. At the voice prompt, say “helpdesk”; or
      •Contact your local Social Security office.

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