What the 2018 and 2019 COLA amounts were

The 2018 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for SSDI was 2 percent. The 2019 COLA was 2.8 percent. These percentages were applied to the benefit amount you received in December of the year before — so if you got SSDI in December 2017, your January 2018 payment went up by 2 percent. If you got SSDI in December 2018, your January 2019 payment went up by 2.8 percent.

The actual dollar increase depended on what you were receiving each month. Someone getting $1,000 per month in December 2017 would have received $1,020 starting in January 2018. Someone getting $1,000 per month in December 2018 would have received $1,028 starting in January 2019. The Social Security Administration calculated each person's new amount individually based on their prior payment.

These adjustments applied to all SSDI beneficiaries — there were no exceptions based on age, how long you had been receiving benefits, or the reason for your disability. If you were on the SSDI rolls in December of either year, the increase was automatic.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2018 COLA was 2 percent and the 2019 COLA was 2.8 percent, both calculated from your December payment of the prior year.
  • Your new payment amount started in January of each year and was based on your individual benefit amount, not a flat dollar figure for everyone.
  • You did not have to do anything to receive the increase — it was applied automatically by Social Security.
  • COLA amounts are set by federal law based on the Consumer Price Index and vary from year to year.

How Social Security calculated your new amount

Social Security took your December payment and multiplied it by the COLA percentage for that year. If you received $800 in December 2017, the calculation was $800 × 1.02 = $816. That $816 became your new monthly payment starting January 2018. The same process happened for 2019: if you received $900 in December 2018, the calculation was $900 × 1.028 = $925.20, rounded to $925.

Social Security rounded the result to the nearest dollar. Most people saw their payment go up by the full percentage, but a small number with very low payments might have seen a smaller increase due to rounding rules. You received a notice in December showing your new amount for January, so you could see the exact dollar change before it took effect.

Why COLA amounts change year to year

COLA is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures how much prices for goods and services go up or down across the economy. When inflation is higher, COLA is higher. When inflation is lower, COLA is lower. In 2018, inflation was relatively modest, so the COLA was 2 percent. In 2019, inflation was slightly higher, so the COLA increased to 2.8 percent.

Congress does not vote on COLA each year — it is set automatically by a formula written into Social Security law. The Social Security Administration announces the COLA for the coming year in October, and it takes effect in January. This means you find out your new payment amount a few months before it starts.

What happened if you were not receiving SSDI in December

If you started receiving SSDI after December of the prior year, you did not receive that year's COLA increase. Your first payment was based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the benefit amount Social Security calculated for you at the time you were approved. You would receive the next COLA increase in January of the following year, once you had been on the rolls through a December.

For example, if you were approved for SSDI in March 2018, you did not get the 2018 COLA increase in January 2018 — you were not yet receiving benefits. You would have received the 2019 COLA increase in January 2019, since you were on the rolls in December 2018.

How to find your specific 2018 or 2019 increase

Your Social Security statement from December 2017 showed your new 2018 payment amount. Your statement from December 2018 showed your new 2019 payment amount. You can also create a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov to view your payment history and see what you received in any given month.

If you kept the notices Social Security sent you in December of those years, they will show the exact dollar amount of your increase. The notice was titled "Your Benefit Amount" or "Your New Benefit Amount" and included both the old and new monthly payment.

COLA and other benefits you might receive

If you received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in addition to SSDI, you received a separate COLA for SSI. The SSI COLA was the same percentage as the SSDI COLA in both 2018 and 2019, but it was applied to your SSI payment separately. If you received both programs, you saw increases to both payments in January.

If you were receiving benefits as a family member on someone else's Social Security record (such as a spouse or child), you also received the COLA increase. The increase was applied to your individual benefit amount, not to the worker's benefit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did everyone on SSDI get the same dollar increase?

No. The COLA percentage was the same for everyone, but the dollar amount depended on what you were receiving. Someone getting $500 per month received a smaller dollar increase than someone getting $2,000 per month, even though both got the same percentage increase.

What if I thought my increase was wrong?

You could contact Social Security to ask them to review your payment. Call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office. They would verify that the COLA was calculated correctly based on your December payment and the official COLA percentage for that year.

Can I find out what my COLA was if I don't have the notice anymore?

Yes. You can create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov and view your payment history month by month. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask them to tell you what you received in December and January of the years you are asking about.

Did the COLA increase affect my Medicare premiums?

It may have. Some people are protected by a "hold harmless" rule that prevents their Medicare Part B premium from going up more than their COLA increase. Others pay the full premium regardless of COLA. Your Social Security statement would have shown if hold harmless applied to you.