Goodbye to COLA – Social Security Announces A New Change Again In January

The Goodbye to COLA is one of the most upcoming thoughts for the citizens in America. Residents can receive an inevitable increase in their benefits as per the COLA increase, which the department has decided.

The Social Security benefits distributed among citizens are also adjusted from the COLA increase in 2024, which is 3.2%, the only increase that is the highest among people. After the announcement of the COLA Increase for the upcoming year 2025, people are worrying about their expenses because a very slight increase has been shown in the new COLA adjustments.

Goodbye to COLA 2024

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has officially confirmed the cost of living adjustments for the upcoming year. They believe that nearly 70 million Americans rely on social security for their living expenses because of their unstable living conditions.

However, the increase in inflation rates has been decreasing, and the authorities are now controlling the inflation, which means citizens will soon need to say goodbye to the adjustment in the cost of living as very little increase is expected.

The COLA has been calculated by the Social Security Administration every year under certain conditions. Citizens need to thoroughly understand the latest information released by authorities about the impact of the cost of living adjustments.

Social Security Confirmed the date when the COLA will become effective

An inflation-driven cost increase is annually compensated for in retirement income through a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. Whenever the CPI increases, your benefit rises to adjust to such a change. If your benefit follows the dollar track, the change will be to match that of the US CPI.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts a consumer expenditure survey every three months. Approximately 7,000 households are interviewed about their expenditures on recurring items such as personal care items, car registration fees, etc.

Year	Cost-of-Living Adjustment Increase
2015	1.70%
2016	0%
2017	0.30%
2018	2%
2019	2.80%
2020	1.60%
2021	1.30%
2022	5.90%
2023	8.70%
2024	3.20%

These data are used to derive the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which forms the basis of the adjustments in COLA. The BLS then contacts retailers, healthcare providers, and service providers to get price changes for the 80,000+ items included in the index.

If the CPI-W does not change, there will be no COLA for that year, as in 2015. COLA helps retirement benefits keep pace with the ever-increasing prices to prevent a decline in the retiree’s standard of living.

When will COLA become effective in the US?

The SSA has established the cost-of-living adjustment for 2025 and will give benefits for this COLA increment beginning January 2025. Nevertheless, as January 1st falls on a holiday, December 31st is considered an early January benefit to SSI recipients.

Category	Details
Retirement Benefits (including new cost-of-living adjustment)
On average	$1,948
Age 62	$2,778
Age 67	$3,918
Age 70	$4,995
Survivor Benefits (including new cost-of-living adjustment)
On average	$1,543
Individual	$1,817
2 Children	$3,744
SSDI Benefits (including new cost-of-living adjustment)
On average	$1,575
Blind Recipients	$2,655
Maximum Payment	$3,918

Maximum Social Security Checks

Every Social Security beneficiary situation is unique, and if one wants to qualify for benefits under the maximum possible amounts in their circumstances, all the requirements need to be met by the SSA. Thus, it is prudent for someone to consult a financial advisor or a social security expert who will look through individual circumstances and advise him in detail.

You can access your My Social Security Account online or visit your nearest Social Security office for accurate information about your monthly payment amounts. Being informed and taking professional advice will help you make the most of the benefits available and provide the financial security you deserve.

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