Social Security increases benefits by 3.2% for 2024

The 2024 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) has been announced.

The Social Security Administration has announced a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to recipients’ monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits. More than 65 million Americans will see the 3.2% increase in their payments beginning in January 2024.

The increase – significantly lower than last year’s 8.79% COLA which was the largest since the 11.2% adjustment in 1981 – is tied to the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers and was put in place to ensure the purchasing power of these benefits isn’t eroded by inflation. The increase of 3.2% is designed to provide benefit recipients with a COLA commensurate with overall inflation. The increase amount for 2024 is far lower than 2023’s 8.7% or 2022’s 5.9%, but still provides recipients with a nice “raise” in the next year.

According to the Social Security Administration, on average, retired workers currently collect $1,840.27 per month in Social Security payments, or roughly $22,083.24 per year. The 3.2% COLA will add about $58.88 per month to those payments or $706.66 for the year.