Medicare Part B premiums are rising again in 2025. The jump outpaces both Social Security's 2025 COLA and inflation, further squeezing seniors.

Social Security benefits will arguably lose buying power next year because the 2.5% COLA understates inflation.

To help offset rising prices, Social Security provides an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that kicks in at the beginning of each year. The Social Security Administration uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI ...

In December, SSI recipients will receive their payments a day early – Dec. 31 – because Jan. 1 is the New Year’s Day holiday. These checks will reflect two different amounts because the 2025 Cost of Living Adjustment increase will apply to the payment made on Dec. 31.

Question: This is my first year on Social Security. Do I have to update any forms to get the COLA? I think this is a scam, but I thought I should check.

If it weren't for Social Security, millions of older Americans would no doubt struggle to keep up with their ongoing expenses. That's what makes Social Security's cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) so important.

Still, the recent news raises a handful of questions among the retirees it impacts the most. Here are a few things you might want to know about these annual cost-of-living adjustments. The annual COLA isn't a number arbitrarily decided by the Social Security Administration.