When will 2025 COLA actually show up on MySocialSecurity account for January benefits?
I'm set to start receiving my Social Security retirement benefits in January 2025, and I'm trying to figure out when the new COLA adjustment will be reflected in my account. I've been checking my MySocialSecurity account daily, but it's still showing the pre-COLA amount. Does anyone know when the SSA typically updates the system to show the new benefit amounts with COLA? I'm getting a bit anxious since January is approaching and I need to plan my budget. Is this normal or should I be concerned that something's wrong with my application?
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Kylo Ren
Don't worry, this is completely normal! The SSA typically updates the MySocialSecurity accounts to reflect the new COLA amounts in mid-December. Some years I've seen it update around December 10-15, sometimes a bit later. Even though the COLA percentage was announced back in October, it takes their systems some time to calculate and update everyone's specific benefit amounts. As long as you've been approved and have a benefit amount showing at all, you're in good shape.
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Paige Cantoni
•Thanks for the reassurance! That makes me feel better. So mid-December is pretty standard then? Do they send any kind of notification when it updates, or do I just need to keep checking my account?
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Nina Fitzgerald
mine took forever to show up last yr too!!! kept checking and checking and nothin then suddenly it was there like dec 20 or somthin. dont stress about it
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Paige Cantoni
•December 20th? That's cutting it pretty close to January. Hope it doesn't take that long this year, but good to know that was still normal. Thanks!
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Jason Brewer
The exact timing varies a bit each year, but yes, generally mid-December is when you'll see it. SSA has to recalculate millions of benefit amounts, so it's a big system update. They do send a COLA notice in the mail usually in December as well, but the online account often updates before the physical mail arrives. One thing to note - if this is your first year receiving benefits, sometimes the COLA calculation works a bit differently depending on exactly when you started. Your payment for January (which arrives in January for new recipients or February for existing ones) will definitely include the COLA though.
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Paige Cantoni
•This is really helpful information, especially about how it might work differently for new recipients like me. I'll keep an eye out for both the online update and the mailed notice. And good clarification on the payment timing - I was actually confused about when exactly I'd get my first payment.
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Kiara Fisherman
I HATE HOW THE SSA KEEPS US IN THE DARK ABOUT EVERYTHING!!! Why can't they just tell us EXACTLY when the COLA will show up? They announced the percentage MONTHS ago but make us wait until practically Christmas to know our actual benefit amount. Some of us need to plan our budgets BEFORE January 1st!! The website should have a countdown or something. It's like they WANT to stress out seniors.
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Liam Cortez
•While it can be frustrating, the SSA actually has to recalculate benefits for over 70 million people with the new COLA rates. It's an enormous computational task that takes time to process and verify for accuracy. They do this in batches, which is why some people see updates earlier than others. They could probably communicate the timeline better though, I'll give you that.
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Savannah Vin
Have you tried calling them directly? I had a similar question last year and was on hold for TWO HOURS before getting disconnected. Then tried again the next day and same thing. So frustrating!
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Mason Stone
•I had the same problem trying to get through to SSA last month about my disability review! I actually ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - totally worth it for important stuff when you can't get through the normal way. Way better than getting disconnected after hours on hold!
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Kiara Fisherman
•Does that Claimyr thing actually work?? I might try it... I've been trying to talk to someone about my husband's survivor benefits for WEEKS!
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Mason Stone
•@SSconcerned - Yes, it definitely worked for me! I was skeptical too but was desperate after being on hold for 3+ hours across multiple days. They connected me to an actual SSA agent who helped resolve my issue.
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Nina Fitzgerald
my freind told me you can call your local office directly instead of the main number, sometimes there easier to get thru to
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Jason Brewer
•This is actually good advice, though many local offices now route calls through the national system. However, if you can schedule an in-person appointment at your local office, that's often the most efficient way to get questions answered.
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Kylo Ren
To add one more helpful bit of information - if you're wondering exactly how much your benefit will be after the COLA, you can calculate it yourself. Just take your current benefit amount and multiply it by 1.032 (for the 3.2% COLA for 2025). It won't be exact to the penny due to rounding rules SSA uses, but it'll be very close and can help with your budget planning while you wait for the official update.
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Paige Cantoni
•That's a great tip! I'll calculate it myself to get an estimate while I wait. And to everyone who responded - thank you for all the helpful information. I feel much better knowing this timeline is normal and not something wrong with my specific account.
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