Social Security Benefits Increase in 2022
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 2, 2023
Approximately 70 million Americans will see a 5.9% increase in their Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in 2022. 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, leading to a higher cost-of-living. This change means prices for goods and services, on average, are a little more expensive, so the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) helps to offset these costs.
We will mail COLA notices throughout the month of December to retirement, survivors, and disability beneficiaries, SSI recipients, and representative payees. But, if you want to know your new benefit amount sooner, you can securely obtain your Social Security COLA notice online using the Message Center in your my Social Security account. You can access this information in early December prior to the mailed notice.
If you prefer to access your COLA notice online and not receive the mailed notice, you can log in to your personal my Social Security account to opt out of a mailed COLA notice and any other notices that are available online by updating your Preferences in the Message Center. Did you know you can receive a text or email alert when there is a new message waiting for you? That way, you always know when we have something important for you – like your COLA notice. If you don’t have an account yet, you must create one by November 17, 2021, to receive the 2022 COLA notice online.
January 2022 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 in 2022 will be higher. The retirement earnings test exempt amount will also change in 2022.
Be among 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.
You can find more information about the 2022 COLA here.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: COLA, my Social Security, my Social Security account
See CommentsAbout the Author
Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Comments
Comments are closed.
Karen B.
If we only get $$624 a month for SSDI after they take part B
How much is my check be in January
V.V.
Hi Karen, thanks for using our blog. Information about Medicare changes for 2022 is available at http://www.medicare.gov. Final 2022 benefit amounts will be communicated to beneficiaries in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security’s Message Center. We hope this helps.
Jewel
For the ppl that’s on ssi do we get the raise too for January 2022
V.V.
Hi Jewel, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. All monthly Social Security (retirement, disability and survivors) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will see a 5.9% increase in their Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in 2022.
The 5.9 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2022. Increased payments to approximately 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2021.
For more details about the new COLA, visit our Cost-of-Living Adjustment information page.
James p.
Dose people Born in September still get their SSI in January 1first are do we have to wait until September
V.V.
Hi James, thanks for using our blog. The Social Security payment schedule is not changing. Check out our Schedule of Social Security Payments for the 2022 payment dates.
Bonnie T.
Will SSA benefits be given according to birthdays in 2022? I have read this in several posts, but not from SSA! Is this true?
Sandi E.
wondering the same thing??? hoping they will let us know cuz my dec amount will have to get me thru almost the END of january!
V.V.
Hi Sandi, thanks for using our blog. The Social Security payment schedule is not changing. Check out our Schedule of Social Security Payments for the 2022 payment dates.
Sandi E.
thank you so very much – found it in my account!! have a very blessed Christmas season!!!
V.V.
Hi Bonnie, thanks for using our blog. Our payment schedule has not changed. For most Social Security benefits, payment dates are based on your birthdate. We issue SSI payments at the beginning of the month. Check out our blog post: What day of the month do I get my Social Security payment?
Chyrl
So the COLA is 5.9% but the raise in Medicare part B is 14%.
Ryan
Will people on ssdi get a raise becides the cola raise we are suppose to get.I’m on ssdi and I make 864.00 a month.
V.V.
Hi Ryan, thanks for using our blog. All monthly Social Security (retirement, disability and survivors) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will see a 5.9% increase in their Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in 2022.
The 5.9 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2022. Increased payments to approximately 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2021.
For more details about the new COLA, visit our Cost-of-Living Adjustment information page.
If you’re asking about a benefit increase due to working, each year we review the records for all Social Security recipients who work. If your latest year of earnings turns out to be one of your highest years, we refigure your benefit and pay you any increase due. This is an automatic process, and benefits are paid in December of the following year. For example, in December 2021, you should get an increase for your 2020 earnings if those earnings raised your benefit. The increase would be retroactive to January 2021.
Check out our Receiving Benefits While Working web page for more details.
Keith
We get an inflation increase but we lose part of it to cover increase in part B increase? So much for covering inflation!!
Ronald P.
How much will part B be taken out of our Social Security check. Or percentage.
V.V.
Hi Ronald, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. Information about Medicare changes for 2022 are available at http://www.medicare.gov.
Carl J.
I am on social security disability how come I can not get extra money every month for my wife and my granddaughter I have full custody of my granddaughter for the past 5 years
V.V.
Hi Carl, thank you for using our blog. Under current law, Social Security can only pay benefits to grandchildren if certain conditions are met. In addition to providing for more than 50% of their support as you are doing now, the biological parents of the children must be deceased or disabled, or you must have legally adopted them. Check out our Parents and Guardians web page for more information on benefits for grandchildren.
Your wife may be eligible for spouse’s benefits if she’s at least 62 years of age. Check out our Benefits For Your Spouse web page for additional details.
Julie
If I retire on December 21, 2021 will I receive the 5.9% cola increase for 2022?
V.V.
Hi Julie, thanks for using our blog. If you are an insured worker, you are eligible for Social Security retirement benefits when you reach age 62. Regardless of when you choose to begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits, your monthly benefit amount will include all cost-of-living increases starting with December of the year you attain age 62. Check out our Social Security Benefit Amounts web page for more details. We hope this is helpful.
Theresa L.
Is this social security raise part of the covid-19 pandemic? If it’s not then the raise will not do me any good because I am extremely low income on disability and SSI and the amount of rent that I pay depends on how much I make each month so when I get a raise in Social Security my rent goes up and they take away some of my food money which leaves me with not a whole lot left of what they gave me to begin with so I would like to know if it’s just a normal raise because if it is then I know my rent is going to increase and I’m going to lose some food money what basically means that I won’t be any better off by getting this raise
V.V.
Hi Theresa, thanks for using our blog. The Social Security Act ties the annual cost-of-living (COLA) increase to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The purpose of the COLA is to ensure that the purchasing power of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits is not eroded by inflation. It is based on the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of the last year a COLA was determined to the third quarter of the current year. If there is no increase, there can be no COLA. To read more, please visit the Cost-of-Living Adjustment web page. We hope this helps!
Theresa L.
That really didn’t answer my question because what is the point in giving people on SSD and SSI a big cost of living raise to use towards things that are more expensive now when it just gets taken away from me to raise my rent and take away food money that I need so the right does not help me one bit and neither does it help a lot of other people so someone needs to figure this out because I don’t understand it the government gives us something but other people take it away from us now how fair is that? I still be in the same situation that I’m in year after year after year because you give it people take it same thing every year and I don’t I know if you people even realize this