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.
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Tags: COLA, my Social Security, my Social Security account
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Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Patsy T.
Government official’s wages should definitely be tied to the same cost of living formula that is applied to Social Security Income. We elected them…we should have more of a say in how much they are paid.
James L.
I plan on retiring in June, 2022. Will I recieve the 5.9% COLA then, or is it only for those who are retired by December 31, 2021?
V.V.
Hi James, 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.
Bradford W.
Please explain why ss can get a 1400 dollar stimulus check an people like us that is on SSI don’t get a stimulus check it ant right I know it ant pass in the house but ssa gets it so should we !!!!
V.V.
Hi Bradford, thanks for using our blog. Please visit our web page, Economic Impact Payments, Child Tax Credits, and Other Refundable Tax Credits, to learn how to claim monthly Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments and missing economic impact payments (EIP), also known as stimulus payments. Please remember that Social Security does not process, and cannot answer questions about, tax credits and EIPs. We hope this helps!
Don M.
If our checks switch from the 3rd to the 13th in January, how do we live the additional 2 weeks with no money?
Anthony J.
Thank you for the chance to be rich or completely destitute for life, if I become another Metabank -3 percent disability beneficiary (2020). I am sorry you did not choose a perpetual 3 percent annual increase. I have bad news. The FDIC has written to inform the public that Netspend is a failed bank. These days direct deposits go in Direct Express accounts provided by SSA representatives. Netspend suffers from unremovable Apple Mail App hijacking inability to send email messages as well as the whole host of mail and fax thefts incidental to embezzlement. It is possible that victimization so far may be limited to just after an unauthorized transaction dispute. Although flight of capital may hurt my personal finance I have a duty to inform the public. I have advised Metabank and its customers seek bankruptcy protection to avoid a civil fate Anthony J. v. Antony J. HA-24-9-21 http://www.title24uscode.org/netspend.pdf
Your Applicant Public Trustee in DC?
Patricia j.
Why didnt u just make it an even6% increase?
John
5.9%? When the socialists are giving away all the freebies to illegal aliens and paying people to stay home and work, 5.9% seems PALTRY for those of us who have paid for all the socialist giv-a-ways. Humbug.
John
… I meant “stay home and not work”
Cheri S.
John, Rememebr that that increase also comes as another increase in our Medicare taxes, which will ooffset any increase we are getting.
DAVE
2.9 % MEDICARE INCREASE FOR ALL THE FREE ABORTIONS
Donna A.
Isn’t that the truth! $90.00 increase is nothing, in one hand an out the other! Families received stimulus money along with States but seniors on SSI so far have only received 2 of them.
The families that did receive more stimulus money used it on non essentials I’ve seen this over and over again!
olivia g.
5.9 increase? cost of living is much higher!!! before they were saying we would get around 6.2. Every year we get cheated they always reduced the most they can. We the citizens that need the most. What about some stimulus check? Lord have mercy
Jean P.
Consider 5.9% increase as being lucky. Joe Biden HATES Social Security programs to their very core. He would love nothing more than to do away with it COMPLETELY… SS benefits are probably his next target…
Michael M.
Jean P. That’s a total misrepresentation of the facts.
MELVIN W.
Sure is
Denise
No Doubt about it!
Ms. R.
No that was Trump,s thinking.
DA V.
Let’s Go brandon
Debby
hahahahahaha !!! my early morning laugh1 thank you, and thank you Brandon! you are now world wide!
Sandra S.
Jean, You are 100% on that. We are very fortunate. Medicare payment will increase but at least we won’t be dumpster diving.
renae r.
Wherever did you get such an idea?
Jeanne H.
All of the politicians are for getting rid of Social Security.
So don’t just blame Biden.
Because every President that is elected.
That is the first thing they talk about getting rid of.
Even tho when campaigning they say they aren’t going to touch it.
It amazes me that we have worked all our lives and put our share of our wages into Social Security and Medicare programs. To have these politicians spend our money any way they want to. Then call us lazy and looking for a hand out.
They are despicable people and can’t be trusted to work for us “We The People” anymore.
All they can do is fight back and forth and not get anything done.
stephanie M.
I totally agree with Olivia on this. Why do they continue to cheat us and give themselves such big raises in Senate and Congress. What about shrink flation? All of our food products are so much smaller now too. The biggest rip off in history is paying 12.4 percent into a retirement program for 36 years and getting minimal return in the end. Most pension plans only get 10.5% pay in and they are much larger. VOTE THEM ALL OUT!
Tscurlo
Believe me…. I would like a whole lot more…. but the definition of COLA is “Cost of Living Adjustment”.
That means that when Inflation Goes up…our COLA goes up. It’s not designed to give us more…. it’s designed to keep up where we are….. WHICH IS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS!!!!!!
I didn’t vote for the buffoon that is residing in the White House… and for those of you that did… congratulations…. you got what you voted for…. now live with it.
Tscurlo
Oh… and by the way…. for those that think any of my comment is defamatory….. the last time I looked….thank goodness…. we still have a First Amendment that allows me to speak my mind…. Comment Policy or not!!!!!!
Arletta W.
😜👌!!!!
jdubya57
I didn’t vote for that buffoon, either! But, thanks to him and his handouts, nobody is working! longshoremen…truck drivers…stockers….etc. All that extra money doesn’t do a damn bit of good if there isn’t anything to buy! And what IS available is priced so high, we can’t even afford it. We’ll be standing in line to buy a $10 loaf of bread, just like in Venezuela! Welcome to socialism, folks!!!
Jean P.
Biden has ALWAYS hated SS program and wants to do away with it. He’s stated that in interviews for decades.
PS: I didn’t vote for the moron either….
Denise
Ditto
Courtney
Ditto
Cheri S.
The problem with what is called a COLA is totally misrepresented because we get less the 25% of that increase as a cost increase on our disability/retirement and out od that also remeber when our COLA is increased so is the Medicare tax deduction.
linda g.
Oh lord. Been waiting to hear that … FUCK JOE BIDEN… LOL
butt m.
LET’S ( F U jo ) G O BRANDON & PLEASE NOT FORGET KAMETOE
sandra s.
Tscurlo, I didn’t vote Biden either or his entire background crew. We are in for trouble.
Why these extended unemployment checks?
Working people are the ones who pay into SS.
If there are no workers or employers paying into the fund there is no SS or great reduction of benefits. Are we being set up for that reduction or elimination of the SS program?
No Worker, No SS funds. Simple.
Wendy
Please tell us all which President had anything to do with COLA or the percentage. You can’t because they don’t.
Mary S.
Gas prices, heating oil, and food prices are all up. So how is this increase helping . Once again seniors who have paid taxes all there lives and SS get screwed. When are seniors who live check to check going to see a stimulis check. We get treated like third class citizens.
Arletta W.
Yes! WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET A COVID19 CHECK!!!???
All of us on SSI!!!
V.V.
Hi Arletta, please visit our web page, Economic Impact Payments, Child Tax Credits, and Other Refundable Tax Credits, to learn how to claim monthly Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments and missing economic impact payments (EIP), also known as stimulus payments. Please remember that Social Security does not process, and cannot answer questions about, tax credits and EIPs. We hope this helps!
Denise H.
Agreed!
Mary J.
Wonder what the increase will be for Medicare…
Vic S.
It my understanding that Medicare part B will go from 148.50 to 157 + so for the most part your cola increase will be gone before you get it
V.V.
Thank you for using our blog, Vic. Information about Medicare changes for 2022, when announced, will be available at http://www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries receiving Medicare, Social Security will not be able to compute their new benefit amount until after the Medicare premium amounts for 2022 are announced. Final 2022 benefit amounts will be communicated to beneficiaries in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security’s Message Center.
Mary N.
Agreed
Donna A.
Amen
Donna A.
Someone has to pick up the slack for the immigrants and it’s us, the richer get richer and the poorer get poorer!
V.V.
Hi Mary Jane, thanks for using our blog. Information about Medicare changes for 2022, when announced, will be available at http://www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries receiving Medicare, Social Security will not be able to compute their new benefit amount until after the Medicare premium amounts for 2022 are announced. Final 2022 benefit amounts will be communicated to beneficiaries in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social Security’s Message Center.
Veronica
What good is the 5.9. When it will be taken !! We are not getting any thing.
DR H.
If ssi would cover dental or or at least part it would go a long way protecting our general health & in the long run cost less
Denise H.
It does cover dental if you have the right insurance coverage like UHC
Vic S.
Exactly
sandra s.
Exactly we only get our money once a month and every time cola goes up so does Medicare they take what we get we pd this in all our working lives and get nothing compared to what we pd in. Also pd in Medicare a big chunk !!!!!
Zina J.
I would like to know I’m on SSDI and I would like to know if I get in a raise and how much it will be for 2022
V.V.
Hi Zina, 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.
Alan P.
And sorry to say that 5.9 percent increase goes away with the 14.5 percent Medicare increase. SSI makes out but not SSDI as we have to pay for Medicare, SSI gets Medicaid but less of a check.
By the ye we have to pay Medicare and taxes on our checks we end up pretty close