What changed in October 2024

If you receive SSDI, your October payment included a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) — a percentage increase Social Security applies each year to account for inflation. For 2024, that increase was 3.2 percent. Your payment on October 3, 2024 (or the next business day if that fell on a weekend) reflected your old benefit amount plus this raise.

The increase is automatic. You do not need to do anything, report anything, or contact Social Security to receive it. The raise appears in your bank account or on your payment card on the same date you normally receive benefits.

If you did not see the increase, or if your October payment was smaller than expected, the reason is usually one of three things: a change in your work earnings, a change in your living situation that affects Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if you receive both programs, or a debt Social Security is collecting from an overpayment. Those situations are covered below.

Key Takeaways

  • The 3.2 percent COLA for 2024 was added to your October payment automatically — you took no action to receive it.
  • Your new benefit amount stays the same every month going forward unless Social Security makes a separate change to your case.
  • If you also receive SSI, the COLA may have reduced your SSI payment dollar-for-dollar because SSI has an income limit.
  • If Social Security is collecting an overpayment debt, the COLA increase does not stop that collection — your net payment may have risen less than 3.2 percent or stayed the same.
  • Your October payment date followed the normal schedule (the third of the month for most beneficiaries, or earlier if you were born on the 1st through the 10th).

Why your October payment might not have gone up as much as 3.2 percent

The COLA is a percentage of your benefit amount, so the dollar increase varies by person. Someone receiving $1,500 per month gets a larger dollar raise than someone receiving $900 per month, even though both get the same 3.2 percent. You can calculate your own increase by multiplying your September payment by 0.032.

However, if your October payment rose by less than that calculation, or did not rise at all, Social Security is likely collecting money from you. The most common reason is an overpayment — money Social Security paid you in error or that you were not may have access to to receive. Social Security withholds part or all of your benefit to repay that debt. The COLA increase does not stop this withholding; it only means your payment started higher before the collection began.

A second reason is a change in your work earnings. If you worked and earned more than the annual earnings limit in 2023, Social Security may have reduced your 2024 benefits. The COLA is added to your reduced amount, not your original amount.

If you receive both SSDI and SSI, the COLA increase to your SSDI may have reduced your SSI payment. SSI has a monthly income limit (currently $943 for an individual in most states, though it varies). When your SSDI goes up, your SSI goes down by the same amount to keep your total income under the limit. Your combined payment may have stayed nearly the same even though your SSDI rose.

How to find out your new benefit amount

Your new October benefit amount is the amount that hit your account on October 3, 2024. That is your starting point for every month going forward unless Social Security makes a separate change.

To see the official amount Social Security has on record, log into your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Under "Benefit Verification," you will see your current monthly benefit. This is the amount after the COLA has been applied and after any withholding for overpayment or work earnings.

If you do not have a my Social Security account, you can create one at ssa.gov/myaccount. You will need your Social Security number, email address, and a way to verify your identity (usually a phone number or address on file).

You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time. Have your Social Security number ready. Wait times are usually shortest early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

What happens if you think the COLA was calculated wrong

COLA calculations are set by law and applied uniformly to all beneficiaries. Social Security does not make individual adjustments to the percentage. However, if your October payment was wrong for a reason other than COLA — for example, if you were not supposed to receive a reduction for work earnings, or if an overpayment withholding was applied in error — you can request a review.

Start by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and explaining what you believe is wrong. Ask them to review your case and send you a written explanation of how your October payment was calculated. Request that they include the amount of the COLA increase, any reductions, and any withholding.

If you disagree with their explanation, you can file a Request for Reconsideration within 60 days of receiving the notice. You can do this online through your my Social Security account, by phone, or by visiting your local Social Security office. Bring any documents that support your claim — pay stubs, letters from your employer, or records of work you did.

COLA increases and your other benefits

If you receive Medicare, your COLA increase does not change your Medicare premium. Medicare Part B premiums are set separately each year and are deducted from your SSDI payment. Your October payment reflects both the COLA increase and the current Part B premium.

If you receive Medicaid, the COLA increase does not affect your Medicaid coverage. Medicaid is a separate program run by your state, and your SSDI amount does not determine whether you stay covered. However, some states use SSDI income to calculate Medicaid benefits for people in certain programs, so the increase might change the amount of coverage you receive. Contact your state Medicaid office if you are unsure how the increase affects you.

If you are working and your earnings are close to the annual limit, the COLA increase does not change the limit itself. The earnings limit for 2024 is $23,400 (or $62,400 if you are in a trial work period). These limits are set separately from COLA and change only if Congress passes new legislation.

When the next COLA will be announced

Social Security announces the next year's COLA in October, based on inflation data from the previous summer. The 2025 COLA will be announced in October 2024 and will take effect in January 2025. You will receive a notice in December 2024 or January 2025 showing your new benefit amount.

COLA increases are not may provide. If inflation is flat or negative, there is no increase that year. This last happened in 2016, when beneficiaries received no raise. In years with high inflation, the increase can be larger than 3.2 percent — for example, the 2023 COLA was 8.7 percent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my October payment go down instead of up?

Your payment likely went down because Social Security is collecting an overpayment or because your work earnings triggered a reduction. The COLA increase was added first, then the collection or reduction was subtracted. Contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to find out which one applies to you and how much you owe.

Does the COLA increase count as income for SSI or Medicaid?

The COLA increase to your SSDI does not count as new income — it is a change to your existing benefit. However, if you receive SSI, the increase reduces your SSI dollar-for-dollar because of the income limit. For Medicaid, the increase does not change your coverage status in most states, but some states may adjust your benefits. Call your state Medicaid office to confirm.

Can I get back pay if my October payment was wrong?

If Social Security made an error and underpaid you in October, you can request a correction. Call 1-800-772-1213 and ask them to review your case. If they find an error, they will send you a check for the difference. You have no time limit to report an underpayment, but the sooner you report it, the sooner it can be corrected.

What if I was not receiving SSDI in October — when do I get the COLA?

If you started SSDI after October 2024, your first payment will include the 3.2 percent COLA that was applied in October, even though you were not receiving benefits then. The COLA is part of your benefit rate, not a separate payment. Your first payment will reflect the post-COLA amount.

Does the COLA affect my work incentives or trial work period?

The COLA does not change your trial work period, extended may be able to access period, or plan to achieve self-support (PASS). These programs are based on your work activity and earnings, not your benefit amount. The COLA only increases the dollar amount of your benefit; it does not change how much you can earn before benefits are affected.