COLA

Social Security Benefits Increase in 2020

October 10, 2019 • By

Reading Time: 1 Minute

Last Updated: October 10, 2019

When we announce the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), there’s usually an increase in the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit amount. Federal benefit rates increase when the cost of living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W).

The CPI-W rises when inflation increases, it makes your cost of living go up. This change means prices for goods and services, on average, are a little more expensive, so the COLA helps to offset these costs.

As a result, nearly 69 million Americans will see a 1.6 percent increase in their Social Security and SSI benefits in 2020.

January 2020 marks other changes that will happen based on the increase in the national average wage index. For example, the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll tax. The retirement earnings test exempt amount, will also change in 2020.

Want to know your new benefit amount as soon as possible? In December 2019, we will post Social Security COLA notices online for retirement, survivors, and disability beneficiaries who have a my Social Security account. You will be able to view and save these COLA notices securely via the Message Center inside my Social Security.  You can also opt out of receiving notices by mail that are available online.

Be the first to know! Sign up for or log in to your personal my Social Security account today. Choose email or text under “Message Center Preferences” to receive courtesy notifications. This way you won’t miss your online COLA notice!

You can find more information about the 2020 COLA here.

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About the Author

Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner

Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner

Comments

  1. Diana M.

    I think that is great! I could use the help..Thank you!

    • Raymond H.

      I hope you aren’t serious, or is this the first time for you?
      Read most of the comments here. the one common thread is there is “NO” increase because your tax and Medicare will go up at the same level leaving you with no/ZERO increase! we need an increase of more than 6% in order to get a few dollars more.

      • Linda K.

        I think it’s great too. At least we get higher raises now then I did with the other President of 8 years. I will take it.

        • miles m.

          grow up and smell the coffee ??

          • Virginia J.

            Where have you been? All you get is zero.

  2. Bob

    Well it’s that time of the year SS is announcing the increase and prices all around the US is increasing at the same time. Just noticed one item I buy went from 53 cents to 56. Another went from $8.29 to $9.09 now you tell me that these vendors/markets don watch these increases and jump on the price increases after the announcements. It’s bad because after Medicare gets theirs the increase is ZERO or just a little but the price increases make us spend more so the increase each year cost us more and more so the increase is a lot of BULL and in doing so income tax will also hurt more.

  3. Monserrate B.

    Ty

  4. Sheila G.

    Thanks hopefully Medicare will not increase again. Usually Medicare takes all the earnings so no raise. Thankful for the system,

    • S T.

      That’s what will happen again this year. The Medicare B premium is going up around 6.5%

      • Wanda

        this percentage of increase to the Part B premium, did SSA send out a notice, I haven’t seen anything – can you share where you got this info?

        • Andy

          7% increase.. about $20 more a month

    • Linda H.

      My 2020 Part D increased more than the social security increase. Haven’t got notice on supplemental policy. 2919 Income was less than year before because of Medicare, Supplemental Insurance and Part D increases.

  5. Steve C.

    “… nearly 69 million Americans will see a 1.6 percent increase in their Social Security and SSI benefits in 2020.” So so news… the great news would be that 535 members of Congress are capped at the same COLA.

    • Raymond H.

      Really? you know full well they will find a way around the cap and give themselves a HEFTY pay increase!

      • JOHN L.

        amen!

    • Dallas L.

      Congress already rec. $174,000.00 a yr. the Seniors receive nothing even close to that, so why are they getting a raise ? We would have gotten more, had they not let all the Aliens in and giving them SS checks, I’m sorry I do not believe that is fair….we worked most all our lives and what have they done in this Country, they paid no taxes, why are they entitled to SS, Medicare and all the other freebies you hear they are getting…..God help Trump finish that wall and give him 4 more yrs. and this might help some…..but they still keep coming…..if it wasn’t for Trump there wouldn’t even be any jobs….I say give them the jobs and give us the extra money you are giving them in our paychecks…let them work and pay into it like we do before they start getting it….let them work over 40 yrs. and pay into it like all the seniors did…

      • Leonard B.

        I agree with you 100% the illegals are getting are money that we paid in,the Mexicans and other illegal immigrants didn’t pay there dues so they don’t deserve nothing!! Our government is selling us out,we can’t trust the government anymore,we are losing our great America ??to Mex’s and who knows where,Somalians and muslims,we will have to take what we need to live in our own country.WAKEUP AMERICA !!!

        God Bless America

        • Lenora H.

          I agree, the elderly 65 and over should be taken care of by the Gov. before the immigrants who come to this country. I am 70 yrs old, worked 45 yrs, I do get benefits, I deserve. I can see how society has changed. What is going on with all these Spanish, and Mexican young women come her to have babies and get free money. I go to walmart and my generation of people like me who speak only english, I am in another society of people who speak several languages. ALL of them. I only here 2% speak english. How are they surviving? They all have families with children. Thank God for President Trump.

      • ECD

        There needs to be a major wage freeze in congressional wages !!!! They do it to the average citizen all the time. I would love to see the same cost of living increases they get in our Social Security.

      • Leonard E.

        If congress gave up their whole salary to SSI, the increase would be $1.40 for each SSI recipient.

  6. Carolyn R.

    Useless email.

  7. Leoncio o.

    Hello sobre taxas atrasadas como eu pago?

  8. Rosemary S.

    I forgot my password and tried to create a new one but I keep getting the message that there is already an account in my user name(email address). Of course there is. It’s me. I went round and round on this last year.

    • Judy C.

      Same here. Can’t log in or create a new account. How to fix it?

      • Ann C.

        Hi, Judy. If you are still unable to create 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.

        • CrustyOldGeezer

          I called at 7:30 this morning and kept telling the robot the offices are SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN….

          Just another robot, only electric instead of living robot.
          Canned answers from both

    • Debra f.

      Me too, even called ss and still not resolved. Can never get on ss site!

      • roya

        That was the best thing I could find and read. Thank you for giving us your time.

    • Raymond H.

      Me too! for the same reason after trying 3 times they shut me out and informed me to call the customer service I waited over 45 min before i got an AI voice telling me that my Q 3 was 116 and my call woulod be answered in the order of call my wait time approximately 1 hr 23 min I just hung up and went to my local office. All I wanted to do was change my address.

    • BD

      A user name has no symbol (e.g. @) so your email is not your user name

    • Toy

      On the log in page, below user name and password fields are forgot links. Use these to retrieve your ID and reset your password. I just did this for my brother. You will be asked your security questions and a code will be sent via the means by which you asked to be contacted, i.e. text or e-Mail.

      • Mary R.

        My email has changed since account setup so I cannot receive an email to reset the account.

        Why doesn’t social security have a system to help us? Even the banks can do this

        Thanks!

    • Luis A.

      Hi, Rosemary. We are sorry you are having difficulty creating a new personal my Social Security account. For assistance, you may:
      •Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), from Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At the voice prompt, say “help desk”; or
      •Contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.

  9. Lloyd

    Why are people with no Social security number getting money from SS

    • John J.

      They are not.

      • RAy

        yes they are go o any bank and ask how many of their customers have no SS# and receive the Benies. I worked at a bank for four years and there were many folk with no numbers just the (999-99-9999) numbers.

        • S T.

          totally not true

          • g

            Yes, it is true the hispanic population has been buying SS #’s for years at the FLEA MARKETS!!! WAKE UP YOU NAIVE AMERICANS!!!! I WORKED THE CENSUS AND SAW ALL THE FREEBIES OBAMA GAVE TO THE BLACKS, TOO (FREE CELL PHONES)………IF YOU WANT SOCIALISM YOU WILL GET $000000 SS BENEFITS SO QUIT COMPLAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Rosline A.

      THIS MEANS THEY KNOW ABOUT JUST USING THE CARD

    • Amberlina W.

      You’re correct Lloyd. People with no Social Security numbers are no more getting money from SS than blacks got ‘freebies’ from Obama.

  10. RANDY C.

    1.6% —-Keep it.

    • Raymond H.

      Agree it’s a smoke screen we all know the increase will be removed when our Medicare goes up the same amount.

      • Rosline A.

        I BEEN STOP SMOKING WITH PEOPLE SO THIS 1.6 RISE ON S.S.I SHOUND BE GREAT

      • Larry C.

        1.6 isn’t much when working world looks at around 3% just in an attempt to keep up with medical and other expenses.

        Also costs will increase with the rapid rise to a $ 15 per hour minimum wage.

      • David W.

        Awe c’mon, cheer up it’s supposedly going up 3.6% every year after that. Condolences.

        • David W.

          Uh, I don’t know if they changed it or if I saw another number but now I see it’s actually estimated to only go up 2.7% and 2.6% after that. Your right.

          • Cheryl c.

            How do I get The Social Security award letter for 2020

          • Ann C.

            Hi, David. If you need a benefit verification letter, you can view, print, and save your benefit verification letter by creating a personal my Social Security account online. We hope this helps.

          • Norma

            Maybe you can even get an account to see all tbis stuff, BUT they won’t let me even have an account because I live in Canada and paid into the system for over 50 years. They don
            t want expats to get ANYTHING ONLINE, so we can’t find out a D*** thing and they don’t want to to contact them – proven by no contact info available online especially phone numbers. Real helpful agency – NOT !11

          • Kenny O.

            Thank you for using our blog to communicate with us, Norma. Please use the Canadian Service Area Directory to determine which Resident Office is near you . We hope this helps!

      • Susan R.

        yes, i got an $8.00 a month increase after paying the rest into medicare’s increase…this is not the first time. how much good does $2.00 a week help with inflation in gas, groceries, etc. and why does medicare and its increases count as the first cost of living increase to be paid for by ss.

    • Raymond H.

      totally agree. I just did the figures my SS will go up $19.77 and my Medicare and taes will increase the same amount so just keep it!

      • shannon Q.

        Lost my medical card need new card im Shannon ellis 2180 veterans highway apt806 birth 5/19/1975

        • Ann C.

          Hi, Shannon. Good news! If you need a replacement Medicare card or immediate proof that you have Medicare, you can take care of both online by setting up a my Social Security account. Just a reminder – please be cautious about posting personal information on social media. Thanks!

          • Rosline A.

            I DON’T HAVE THE CARD WRITE ME BACK PLEASE ABOUT THE 1.6 RISE ON $771.00

        • Robin B.

          You should never put that info on a public forum it sets you up for ID Theft.

      • Rosline A.

        I HOPE THIS 1.6 IS USE ON MY $771.00 CAUSE I NEED IT

        • Thomas C.

          What new benefits are in 2020

    • Rosline A.

      Why i really need this 1.6 rise in my $771.00

    • david P.

      Randy if you don’t want it I’ll be very Happy to Take yours.. Thanks..

    • Norma

      Why bother. COL is about 25% and they tell us 1.6%. I don’t know what fantasy land they live in but in mine the cost went up about 25%. Can I move in with them so mine COL will go down?

    • Lonnie A.

      We should get the same percentage raise as Congress gave theirself. Oh I forgot Congress is above. American citizens and the laws. We the American peasants deplore you. The ruling elites.

Comments are closed.