In 2025, Social Security beneficiaries (retirees, family members, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals) received a 2.5% increase in their payments thanks to the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). This increase, based on the CPI-W index, is intended to protect purchasing power against inflation, although it is significantly lower than the previous adjustments of 8.7% in 2023 and 3.2% in 2024.
However, concerns are emerging about the future accuracy of the COLA. The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) warns that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) faces “unprecedented challenges” in collecting CPI-W data due to budget constraints and reductions in its geographic sample. They warn that Social Security payments could be outdated compared to the inflation that accrues in 2025.
June Social Security payments come with COLA increase
Despite these caveats, initial projections for the 2026 COLA mostly converge on 2.5%, supported by publications such as Barron’s, MarketWatch, and BenefitsPro (although Investopedia suggests 2.1% and AS.com 2.4%).
The Social Security Administration will release the official increase in October 2025, based on CPI-W data through September, although factors such as new trade tariffs could influence the final figure. Analyst Mary Johnson (TSCL) maintains her projection at 2.5%.
Now that we have this data, we can say that, at least, the June 2025 payments kept pace with inflation, with a 2.5% COLA. This month, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments were already sent out, which were moved up to May 31 (originally June 1, which was a Saturday).
Now, for retirees receiving payments from before May 1997 (and those who live abroad, or who receive retirement benefits plus SSI), their payment date was June 3.
Payments were also sent on the second Wednesday of the month (June 11) for beneficiaries who claimed benefits after May 1997 and who have birthdays between the 1st and 10th of any month.
Then, the third Wednesday of the month is the pay date for those in the same category whose birthday is between the 11th and the 20th, meaning their pay date is June 18.
Finally, on the fourth Wednesday of the month—June 25—payments will be sent to the last group of “post-May 1997” beneficiaries, who are those whose birthdays are between the 21st and 31st of any month.
Maximum and average amounts according to retirement age
By 2025, with the 2.5% COLA increase already in place, there is a list of maximum amounts that a beneficiary, under specific conditions, can expect to receive.
If an individual retires at age 62, which is the earliest retirement age, the maximum possible amount is $2,831 per month, but if that person, meeting SSA requirements, waits until age 66 or 67 (full retirement age, depending on the birth cohort), the maximum possible amount is up to $4,018.
Finally, the final maximum amount for high-income beneficiaries with at least 35 years of employment and payment of “work credits” (the same requirements apply to any maximum amount, starting at age 62) is up to $5,108.
While these are the maximums, the average amount at age 67 is around $2,000, which is closer to what more than 95% of beneficiaries across the United States receive.
