COLA

Social Security Benefits Increase in 2022

October 13, 2021 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last 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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About the Author

Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. Jeanette F.

    I reside in a mobile home park. Our land is rented from a corporation. We just received a letter from the corporation that we will get a 40.00 increase in our rent as of January 1,2022. They said the increase was because of the increase we got in our SS payments. There are people in our park not on SS payments. So,how can they attribute the increase in rent to an increase in your SS benefits?

    • V.V.

      Hi Jeanette, thanks for using our blog. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/cola. We hope this helps!

  2. Sue A.

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  3. Barbara S.

    Hi Iam 62 years old. I waswondering if i would be eligible to collect ss under my x husband I never remarried and his income is way more than mine how can I find this out thanks you He is still working as well as i am

    • V.V.

      Hi Barbara, thank you for using our blog. If your ex-spouse qualifies for retirement benefits but hasn’t applied, you may be able to receive benefits on his record if you have been divorced for at least two years. 

      Your benefit as a divorced spouse can be equal to one-half of your ex’s full retirement amount only if you start receiving those benefits at your full retirement age. If you begin to receive benefits at age 62 or prior to your full retirement age, your benefits are reduced. The reduction factors are permanently applied to all of the benefits you qualify for once you opt to start benefits at age 62 or at any time prior to your full retirement age.

      Remember, if you qualify for your own retirement benefits and for benefits as a divorced spouse, we always pay your own retirement benefits first. If your benefits as a divorced spouse are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher divorced spouse benefit. However, the divorced spouse’s benefit cannot exceed one-half of your ex-spouse’s full retirement amount (not the reduced benefit amount). So, you can only receive additional benefits if your own full retirement benefit (not your reduced benefit) is less than half of your ex-spouse’s full retirement benefit.

      Check out our Benefits For Your Divorced Spouse web page for more information.

      You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. However, there is a limit to how much you can earn and still receive full benefits. The amount you’re allowed to earn while receiving benefits depends on your age. If you attain full retirement age in 2022, the earnings limit is $51,960 but we only count earnings before the month you reach full retirement age. Beginning with the month you reach full retirement age, earnings no longer reduce your benefits, no matter how much you earn. If you’re under full retirement age for the entire year, then we deduct $1 from benefit payments for every $2 earned above the annual limit. For 2022, that limit is $19,560.

      Visit our Receiving Benefits While Working web page for more details.

  4. Robert L.

    I am not retirement age but am on disability. Once I reach retirement age will I be eligible for retirement and disability?

    • V.V.

      Hi Robert, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. Social Security disability benefits automatically change to retirement benefits when disability beneficiaries become full retirement age. The law does not allow a person to receive both retirement and disability benefits on one earnings record at the same time. We hope this helps!

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  7. KO

    Hello,
    I’m planning to start collecting ss in July 2022 will my monthly amount be readjusted to include the 5.9% COLA?
    Thank you.

    • Rick

      I’m wondering the same thing. Did you get an answer to your question?

      • V.V.

        Hi Rick 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.

    • V.V.

      Hi KO, 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.

  8. kaamkura

    Yes. It is true that we can increase the Social security bonus if we want. Thank you so much for information.

  9. kaamkura

    I found the good information on this article. Plz share this and keep it up.
    https://kaamkura.com/what-is-the-16728-social-security-bonus/

  10. SC P.

    I retired in June 2021 and started my social security benefit 2 months later. The benefit did not include my 2021 income. When will my benefit amount re-calculated to account for my 2021 income?

    • V.V.

      Hi SC, thank you for using our blog to ask your question. 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 2022, you should get an increase for your 2021 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.

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