What the 2024 COLA means for your SSDI payment
In October 2023, Social Security announced a 3.2% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2024. If you receive SSDI, your monthly payment increased by 3.2% starting in January 2024. The exact dollar amount of your increase depends on what you were receiving in December 2023—there is no single number that applies to everyone.
You should have received a notice in the mail showing your new payment amount. If you did not receive one, or if you want to confirm the increase was applied to your account, you can check your Social Security statement online through my Social Security (the official account portal at ssa.gov) or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.
The COLA is automatic—you do not need to do anything to receive it. It applies to all SSDI beneficiaries, including those who also receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), though SSI recipients may see different payment changes depending on their state and living situation.
Key Takeaways
- Your SSDI payment increased by 3.2% in January 2024, with the exact dollar amount based on what you were receiving in December 2023.
- Social Security mailed a notice to your address on file showing your new payment amount; check my Social Security online or call 1-800-772-1213 if you did not receive it.
- The COLA is applied automatically to your account and requires no action on your part.
- If you also receive SSI, your payment may have changed differently depending on your state and household circumstances.
- The 3.2% increase reflects the rise in the Consumer Price Index from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023.
How Social Security calculates the COLA each year
Social Security uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to determine the COLA. Specifically, it compares the average CPI-W for July, August, and September of one year to the same three months of the previous year. If there is an increase, that percentage becomes the COLA for the following year.
For 2024, the comparison was between the third quarter of 2022 and the third quarter of 2023, which produced the 3.2% figure. This same percentage applies to all SSDI beneficiaries, regardless of age or how long they have been receiving benefits. The only exception is beneficiaries who have already reached their full retirement age and are receiving retirement benefits instead of disability benefits—they follow a different calculation in some cases, though the COLA itself is the same.
The COLA is set by law and is not something Social Security staff can adjust or override. If inflation is zero or negative in a given year, there is no COLA increase—benefits stay the same. This has happened only three times since COLA began in 1975.
When your payment increased and how to verify it
The 3.2% increase took effect on January 1, 2024, and appeared in your first payment of that month. If you receive your payment by direct deposit, the new amount was deposited to your bank account. If you receive a paper check, the January check reflected the new amount.
To confirm the increase was applied, log into my Social Security at ssa.gov and select "Benefit Verification" to see your current payment amount. You can also view your payment history to compare December 2023 to January 2024. If you do not have an online account, you can create one using your email address and a phone number.
If you believe the increase was not applied or if your new payment amount seems incorrect, contact Social Security directly. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778 for deaf and hard of hearing) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. your local time. You can also visit a local Social Security office in person—find the nearest one at ssa.gov/locator.
SSDI and SSI: different COLA outcomes
If you receive only SSDI, the 3.2% increase applies directly to your monthly payment. If you receive both SSDI and SSI, your situation is more complex because SSI has a federal benefit rate that is separate from your SSDI amount.
For SSI recipients, the 3.2% COLA was applied to the federal benefit rate in January 2024, but your actual payment may have increased by less, stayed the same, or even decreased slightly depending on your state's SSI supplement and your household income. Some states add money to the federal SSI rate; others do not. If your income from other sources (such as wages or a spouse's income) changed during 2023, that can also affect your SSI payment even though the COLA increased.
If you receive both SSDI and SSI and your payment changed in a way you do not understand, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 to ask for a detailed breakdown of how the COLA and your income affected your new payment amount.
What the 3.2% increase means in real dollars
The 3.2% COLA is a percentage, not a fixed dollar amount. Your actual increase depends on your payment in December 2023. For example, if you were receiving $1,000 per month, your increase was about $32 per month (3.2% of $1,000). If you were receiving $1,500 per month, your increase was about $48 per month.
The average SSDI payment in 2024 is approximately $1,550 per month, though this varies widely. Some beneficiaries receive much less, and some receive more, depending on their work history and the age at which they became disabled. Your personal payment amount is based on your own earnings record, not on a national average.
If you want to know what your specific increase was in dollars, subtract your December 2023 payment from your January 2024 payment. The difference is your COLA increase. You can also call Social Security and ask them to tell you the exact amount.
COLA history and what it means for future years
The 3.2% COLA for 2024 was higher than the 2023 COLA (8.7%) but lower than the 2022 COLA (8.7%). The 2023 COLA was historically large because inflation spiked in 2022. The 3.2% for 2024 reflects a decline in inflation during 2023, though prices remain higher than they were before 2022.
The COLA for future years will depend on inflation in the coming months. If inflation continues to decline, the 2025 COLA may be lower than 3.2%. If inflation rises again, the COLA could be higher. Social Security announces the next year's COLA in October of each year, so you will learn the 2025 COLA in October 2024.
You cannot predict the COLA in advance, and it is not something you can control. The best approach is to budget based on your current payment and treat any COLA increase as additional cushion rather than counting on it for essential expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to do anything to get the 3.2% increase?
No. The COLA is applied automatically to your account. You do not need to contact Social Security, fill out any forms, or take any action. The increase appeared in your January 2024 payment.
What if I did not receive a notice about the COLA increase?
Social Security mailed notices to all beneficiaries, but mail can be delayed or lost. Check your payment amount in my Social Security online, or call 1-800-772-1213 to confirm the increase was applied. If your payment did not increase, report it when ready.
Does the COLA increase affect my Medicare premiums or other benefits?
Medicare Part B premiums are deducted from your SSDI payment, and those premiums can change each year. Some of your COLA increase may go toward higher Medicare costs. Other benefits like food information (SNAP) or housing programs may have income limits that your increased SSDI payment could affect—contact those programs directly to ask.
Will I get a bigger increase next year?
The 2025 COLA will be announced in October 2024 and will depend on inflation between July and September 2024. There is no way to know in advance whether it will be higher or lower than 3.2%.
What if I think my increase was calculated wrong?
Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask them to explain your new payment amount. Have your December 2023 payment statement available so they can walk you through the calculation. If you believe there is an error, you can request a detailed review of your account.