The 2024 and 2025 COLA Amounts

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments increased by 3.2 percent in 2024 and by 2.5 percent in 2025. These are the actual percentage increases that the Social Security Administration applied to all SSDI benefit amounts. The dollar amount of your own increase depends on what you were receiving before the adjustment — a person getting $800 per month receives a smaller dollar raise than someone getting $1,400 per month, even though the percentage is the same.

COLA stands for Cost of Living Adjustment. Social Security calculates it each year based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which measures inflation. The adjustment is not a separate payment — it is added directly to your regular monthly benefit. You do not need to do anything to receive it. If you are on the SSDI rolls in December of the year the adjustment takes effect, you automatically get the higher amount starting in January.

The exact dollar amount you receive after a COLA increase depends on your individual benefit calculation, which is based on your earnings history. Two people with different work records will see different dollar increases even though the percentage is identical.

Key Takeaways

  • COLA increases are automatic — you receive them without submitting any paperwork or request to Social Security.
  • The percentage increase is the same for all SSDI recipients, but the dollar amount varies based on your current benefit.
  • COLA takes effect in January each year and is based on inflation data from the previous year.
  • You can see your exact new benefit amount in your Social Security account online or by calling 1-800-772-1213.

How Social Security Calculates the COLA Percentage

The Social Security Administration uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to measure inflation from the third quarter of one year to the third quarter of the next year. If inflation during that period is higher than the previous year, the COLA percentage goes up. If inflation is lower, the COLA percentage goes down. If there is deflation (prices falling), there is no COLA increase, though your benefit does not decrease either.

This calculation happens automatically and is set by law — Social Security does not decide the percentage. The CPI-W data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The announcement of the next year's COLA percentage usually happens in October, and the increase takes effect the following January.

When You Receive Your COLA Increase

Your COLA increase appears in your January payment. If you receive SSDI by direct deposit, the new amount will be in your account on your regular payment date in January. If you receive a check, it will arrive with the higher amount. You do not need to be working, reporting to Social Security, or doing anything else — the increase is automatic if you are receiving SSDI in December of the year it takes effect.

If you are a representative payee (someone appointed to manage your benefits on your behalf), the increase goes to the account or check registered with Social Security. The payee does not control whether you receive the increase — it happens the same way as for anyone else on SSDI.

COLA and Your Other Benefits or Income

A COLA increase to your SSDI payment does not affect your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) separately, though if you receive both programs, your SSI amount may be recalculated. It also does not change the amount you can earn from work before your benefits are reduced. The earnings limit for SSDI (the Substantial Gainful Activity limit, or SGA) does change each year, but that is a separate adjustment from COLA.

If you are receiving SSDI and also collecting workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, or other government payments, a COLA increase to your SSDI does not automatically change those other payments. Each program has its own rules about adjustments.

Checking Your Benefit Amount After COLA

You can see your new SSDI benefit amount by logging into your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Your account shows your current monthly benefit, payment history, and any changes Social Security has made. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to ask what your new amount is. Have your Social Security number ready.

If you receive a paper statement from Social Security in the mail, it will show your new benefit amount after the COLA increase takes effect. You do not need to request this statement — Social Security sends it automatically to people who do not use my Social Security online.

COLA Increases and Your Work Incentives

If you are working while on SSDI, a COLA increase does not change the amount you can earn before your benefits are reduced. However, the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit — the earnings threshold that determines whether you are working at a level that could affect your SSDI — does increase each year, usually around the same time as COLA. In 2024, the SGA limit was $1,550 per month; in 2025, it is $1,630 per month. These are separate adjustments, and the SGA limit may increase by a different percentage than COLA.

If you are using a work incentive like the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) or Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), a COLA increase to your benefit does not automatically change those plans. You may want to review your plan with a work incentive planning specialist to see whether the higher benefit affects your plan's goals or budget.

What Happens If You Disagree With Your New Amount

If you believe Social Security made an error in calculating your COLA increase, you can contact Social Security to ask them to review it. Call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office. Bring your Social Security number and a record of what you were receiving before the increase.

COLA increases are calculated by formula and are rarely wrong, but errors in your underlying benefit amount can happen. If Social Security made a mistake in your original benefit calculation years ago, that error would carry forward into your COLA calculation. If you think this is the case, Social Security can review your entire earnings record and benefit history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to do anything to get my COLA increase?

No. COLA is automatic. If you are receiving SSDI in December, you receive the increase in January without submitting any paperwork or making any request to Social Security.

Will my COLA increase affect my Medicare or Medicaid?

A COLA increase to SSDI does not change your Medicare coverage or premiums. Medicaid rules vary by state, but in most states a COLA increase does not cause you to lose Medicaid. Some states have income limits for Medicaid, and a COLA increase could theoretically push you over that limit, but this is rare. Contact your state Medicaid office if you are concerned.

What if I was not receiving SSDI in December — do I still get the COLA increase?

No. You must be on the SSDI rolls in December to receive the January COLA increase. If your benefits were suspended or terminated before December, you do not receive that year's COLA. If your benefits are reinstated later, your benefit amount will reflect the COLA increases that occurred while you were off the rolls.

Can I find out what next year's COLA will be before it is announced?

No. The COLA percentage is calculated by Social Security based on inflation data and is announced in October for the following January. You cannot predict it in advance because it depends on actual inflation figures that have not yet been released.

Does COLA explore to family members receiving benefits on my record?

Yes. If your spouse, children, or other family members are receiving benefits based on your SSDI record, they also receive the same COLA percentage increase to their individual benefit amounts in January.