The cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase means that the biggest Social Security check you can get in 2025 will be $4,995. People can apply for this increase once the COLA is made public.
More than 70 million people who get Social Security benefits will get more money in 2025 because of the Cost-of-Living Adjustment.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) changes payments every year to keep up with inflation. The rate of inflation is called COLA, and it will go up by 2.5% in 2025.
Social Security check amounts will get a big boost in 2025
Because the SSA pays out based on a number of factors, the amount each beneficiary gets will depend on their own specific situation.
They will get a certain amount of money based on how many years they worked, how much they paid in taxes to the Social Security Administration, and most importantly, how old they are when they apply for retirement.
In 2024, you have to be 62 years old to apply for Social Security benefits.
But because this is the minimum, people who ask to retire at this age do not get the full amount; the government takes away a small amount for every month before the full retirement age. In 2024, people aged 62 who file a claim can get up to $2,710 a month.
For people born after 1960, the full retirement age is 67. The SSA has an official table of full retirement age.
If you were born before that, look up your date of birth in it. People who wait until they reach full retirement age in 2024 will get the most money, which is $3,822 a month.
People who wait to retire until they are at least 70 years old may also be able to get the maximum Social Security payment, which in 2024 will be $4,873. But because the COLA went up, the most that can be taken out will be more than $5,000 in 2025.
Beneficiaries must meet four requirements in order to get the maximum payment of $5,108 in 2025.
They must wait until they are 70 years old to apply for payments, work for at least 35 years and earn the taxable maximum during that time, and pay enough Social Security payroll tax while they were working.
Please read the following to find out more about the other payment amounts that will be allowed in 2025:
| Retirement benefits | Social Security checks | 2.5% COLA increase | Extra income |
| On average | $1,900 | $1,948 | $48 |
| Age 62 | $2,710 | $2,778 | $68 |
| Age 67 | $3,822 | $3,918 | $96 |
| Age 70 | $4,873 | $4,995 | $122 |
| Survivor benefits | Social Security checks | 2.5% COLA increase | Extra income |
| On average | $1,505 | $1,543 | $38 |
| Individual | $1,773 | $1,817 | $44 |
| 2 Children | $3,653 | $3,744 | $91 |
| Disability benefits | Social Security checks | 2.5% COLA increase | Extra income |
| On average | $1,537 | $1,575 | $38 |
| Blind recipients | $2,590 | $2,655 | $65 |
| Maximum payment | $3,822 | $3,918 | $96 |
| SSI benefits | Social Security checks | 2.5% COLA increase | Extra income |
| On average | $698 | $715 | $17 |
| Individuals | $943 | $967 | $24 |
| Couples | $1,415 | $1,450 | $35 |
| Essential person | $472 | $484 | $12 |
Because getting the biggest Social Security checks can be hard, you should talk to a financial advisor or Social Security expert about your specific situation.
This will improve your chances of being accepted into the RSDI or SSI program. Do not forget that you can always go to the SSA website or your My Social Security Account to find out more about your monthly benefits.
There, you can get full payment information, download financial statements, apply for a new Social Security card, or ask any questions you have about the process.
When will beneficiaries receive their Social Security check payments in November?
The Social Security payment schedule still says that this month’s payments will be made on the third and fourth Wednesdays. Because of this, we would like to give you the full payment schedule for this month so that recipients can remember these important dates:
| Social Security Financial Programs | Arrival date | Payment date |
| Beneficiaries from the SSI program
Those who applied for RSDI before May 1997 |
November 1st | Due to the fact that November 3rd falls on a weekend, the RSDI payment is made on top of the monthly regular payment. |
| Those who applied for RSDI after May 1997 | November 13th
November 20th November 27th |
Day of birth: 1st–10th.
Day of birth: 11th–20th. Day of birth: 21st-31st. |
| Extra SSI benefits | November 29th | Due to the fact that December 1st falls on a weekend, beneficiaries will receive their December benefits on this date. |
