Social Security and SSI benefits to increase in 2022

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase in 2022. The 5.9 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2022. Increased payments to approximately eight million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2021. 

The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $147,000 from $142,800. 

If you are a Social Security and/or SSI beneficiary, you will be notified by mail starting in early December about your new benefit amount. If you receive Social Security payments, you will be able to view your COLA notice online through your personal “my Social Security” account at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. 

Information about Medicare changes for 2022, when announced, will be available at medicare.gov. If you are a Social Security beneficiary who is receiving Medicare, Social Security will not be able to compute your new benefit amount until after the Medicare premium amounts for 2022 are announced. 

To learn more about the COLA adjustment, visit socialsecurity.gov/cola.