Prepare for your monthly checks to get bigger.
For much of the summer, there was a lot of speculation about 2025’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Seniors on Social Security were hoping for a large raise to follow the 3.2% COLA that arrived at the start of 2024.
But unfortunately, next year’s COLA won’t be quite as substantial. Because of cooling inflation, Social Security benefits are only going to receive a 2.5% raise in 2025.
That might seem like bad news at first. But when you dig a little deeper, you might realize that living costs aren’t rising at as rapid a clip as they were a year ago. So while you may only see your Social Security benefits rise modestly, that should be offset by easing inflation.
Meanwhile, you may want to know exactly when to expect your 2.5% Social Security COLA to hit your bank account. Here’s what the timing of that raise should look like.
When your Social Security raise will arrive
Social Security’s 2.5% COLA takes effect in January, so your first benefit check of the year should be larger than your last check in 2024. But the timing of when you get that check hinges on your date of birth.- If you were born between the 1st and 10th of the month (no matter which month you were born), your first boosted Social Security check should arrive on Jan. 8, 2025.
- If you were born between the 11th and 20th of the month, you should expect your first larger Social Security payday on Jan. 15, 2025.
- If you were born between the 21st and the end of the month, your first bigger benefit should come on Jan. 22, 2025.