The Social Security Administration warned of changes to all payments a few days ago. Beneficiaries are excited about this much-anticipated news because they want to know how it will affect their monthly checks.
At the moment, the wealthiest people who get Social Security get a big check every month: $4,873, or over $58,000 a year. In 2025, this number will go up. Starting in January, these people will get the same cost-of-living increase (COLA) as everyone else.
2025 COLA increase for Social Security
Since COLAs are calculated as a percentage, each recipient’s check will go up by the same amount. So, the people who are getting the biggest payments today will see the biggest gains in their value. As a result, the rise may not be as big as folks think.
The Senior Citizens League’s (TSCL) most recent predictions came true. In 2025, the COLA for Social Security will be 2.5%. People who are already getting the highest benefit would get an extra $235 a month, bringing their total monthly payments to $5,108. This change will add an extra $2,820 a year.
For people who get the most from Social Security, the money they get often feels like a small amount. You must earn the most that is taxed by Social Security for at least 35 years in a row in order to get the maximum payout. For 2025, that amount is $176,100.
You must also wait until you turn 70 years old to file for Social Security. It’s not easy to do this. People who are able to do this usually aren’t having a hard time with money and can easily cover their living costs, even with the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).
Changing Landscape for Top Social Security Earners
It’s interesting that people at the top of the list of Social Security recipients may not stay there forever. The formula used to figure out Social Security benefits changes every year, which could mean that the highest benefit goes up by a small amount each year.
Because of this, a new group of high-earning 70-year-olds might soon start getting even bigger checks. There is no way for them to know the exact amount, though, until the Social Security Administration says what the highest payment for 2026 is. This news usually comes at the same time as the COLA update.
The COLA Increase for Social Security in 2024
The average monthly Social Security payment for December is expected to be $1,927. With a 2.5% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), the monthly benefit would go up to $1,976, which is only a $49 rise. But this might not be enough to keep up with the rising costs of life for retirees.
The Official COLA Announcement
The COLA rate was made public on October 10, 2024. After that, you can figure out how much your future benefit checks will be by adding the COLA number to the ones you are already getting.
The Social Security Administration will also send you a personalized letter in December that tells you exactly how much money you will get in benefits in 2025. If you don’t want to figure it out or wait until you get the letter in the mail, you can use your my Social Security account.