But a 2.5% COLA for 2025 stings because it's the smallest one to arrive in years. At the start of 2024, seniors on Social Security saw their benefits increase by 3.2%. And the year prior, Social Security recipients got a record-breaking 8.7% COLA. So a raise of just 2.5% seems awfully meager by comparison.

Last month, the Social Security Administration revealed that benefits will receive a 2.5% COLA increase in 2025

An important aspect of Social Security benefits is the monthly payouts increase they receive in most years to (somewhat) keep up with inflation. This is called the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

The 2025 Social Security COLA is 2.5%. That's less than the 3.2% beneficiaries got in 2024 and well under the 8.7% they got in 2023. This is due to cooling inflation, which has slowed the rate the cost of goods are going up.

Social Security has been an important safety net for Americans for nearly 90 years, and today, the majority of Americans expect to rely on it when they retire. However, a new Bankrate survey shows many people are concerned they won’t receive those benefits once they reach retirement age.

The reason Social Security benefits are eligible for an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) each year is that without an inflation-based boost, seniors would be guaranteed to lose buying power from one year to the next.

Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.5% increase in their benefits starting in 2025. This cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is the lowest since January 2021, which saw a 1.3% adjustment. The average recipient will see an increase of about $50 per month.