Social Security Benefits to Increase in 2019
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast 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. By law, federal benefits 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 monthly benefit levels and helps you keep up with the changing cost of living.
As a result, more than 67 million Americans will see a 2.8 percent increase in their Social Security and SSI benefits in 2019.
January 2019 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, as well as the retirement earnings test exempt amount, will change in 2019.
Want to know your new benefit amount as soon as possible? In December 2018, we will post Social Security COLA notices online for retirement, survivors, and disability beneficiaries who have a personal my Social Security account. You will be able to view and save these COLA notices securely via the Message Center inside my Social Security.
Be the first to know! Sign up for or log in to your personal my Social Security account today and choose email or text under “Message Center Preferences” to receive courtesy notifications so you won’t miss your electronic COLA notice!
This year, you will still receive 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.
You can find more information about the 2019 COLA here.
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Tags: Cost of living adjustment, my Social Security, my Social Security account, Social Security benefits
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Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Rebecca
I would like to know how much a ssi/ssdi recipient can save in a savings account without beong penalized.
Lois J.
social security has me deceased as of January 26, 2019.
I am NOT. I have done everything I know to do to get this resolved including driving up to the SS office 3 times telling them about this. It has destroyed my whole life. Shut down everything. Medicare and payments to my doctors. My money from Air Force which my husband spent his life in and died 5 years ago. The VA and anything connected has been stopped. Could not get into the AF base. Had to get military ID reissued. It is now May 3, 2019 and STILL
social security has not resolved this issue. I have written to my congressman, next is going to the local news reporter for help. I am not getting money from
this and have bills to pay. I will be 75 years old and cannot believe that in this world of technologies SS cannot fix this. SS with one key stroke shut me down as deceased and did not have a death certificate for the person that died even. SS is telling me it will take until June of this year to get this resolved. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. The Federal government had no problem cashing my check which I owed on April 15, tax day. Imagine that. I was not dead to them then.
I feel I have been more than patience in this matter.
Very disappointed in how this is happening. Thought our country was more on it’s toes then this. Also getting scam calls pertaining to Social Security. I wonder how we ever made it to the moon! While I am writing this, I have been on hold with Social Security for over an hour and the music just stopped. Nothing, so social security has dropped my call. It is now 5:00 PM, Friday, I guess they are going home. I will try Monday on calling everyone and body I can think of, including the 6:00 news
Leslie S.
How do I request a copy of my son reward letter for his social security disability benefits
denise b.
how do i get copy ss award letter
Linda W.
My date of birth is 5/18/51 so I qualify for but have not yet started collecting social security benefits. I have already earned my maximum annual credits toward social security benefits.
Can I collect full social security benefits if I continue to work full-time? If no, what level of income could I earn to be eligible for full retirement benefits?
Robert W.
Where is the 2019 Red Book? I can’t find it on your website.
Marolyn b.
On my email said we are getting social security checks cut so I was checking to see if it’s a scram trying to up set seniors
A.C.
Hi, Marolyn. Please be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls or email messages. If an unknown individual claims to be from a legitimate organization, try to verify his or her identity directly with the company. Avoid providing personal information unless you are certain of a person’s authority to have the information. In a few instances, we will use marketing firms to help raise awareness of Social Security’s online services, and this includes creating a personal my Social Security account. We allow these firms to send emails that will take individuals directly to our website. Any links that you find within these emails should always point to a “.gov” web address. If you are not certain that an email you received came from Social Security or one of our marketing partners, DO NOT click the link. Visit our “Internet Phishing Alert” web page to learn more about how to detect a fraudulent email message. We hope this information helps!
Valda K.
Congrats for the noteworthy blog you’ve set up at blog.ssa.gov. Your enthusiastic take on the subject is definitely contagious. Thanks again!
http://swish.st/87347
Ralph C.
Searching for but can’t find out if there is a ceiling on how much monthly( or yearly) social security income can earn.
Thank You!
V.V.
Hi Ralph, thank you for your question. If you’re receiving a retirement or survivor benefit, the amount you’re allowed to earn while receiving benefits depends on your age. (Earnings limits are completely different for those receiving disability benefits). If you attain full retirement age (66) in 2019, the earnings limit is $46,920 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 2019, that limit is $17,640.
Visit our Retirement Planner: Getting Benefits While Working and our Retirement Earnings Test Calculator. Hope this helps!
Barbara A.
Did the medicare medical insurance go up?
lenora c.
I call social security in December about the amount of my pay. That it is short I was told that I would get a letter in thirty days. I have not receive a letter or any kind of notice as of yet. What do I have to do should I make an appointment to talk some? I need an answer.