Will my Social Security widow's benefits for 2025 include the COLA increase?
I'm turning 60 in December and just submitted my application for widow's benefits to start in January 2025. When the SSA claims specialist calculated my estimated payment amount, I wasn't sure if that figure already had the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) included for 2025. The amount they quoted me was $1,874 monthly. Do new widow's beneficiaries qualify for the annual COLA in their first year? Or does that only kick in after you've been receiving benefits for a full year? Also, if the COLA isn't included in that estimate, when would I see the increase? Would it be automatic or do I need to contact SSA about it? Sorry for all the questions, but this is really important for my budget planning next year.
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Vince Eh
Yes, you'll get the COLA! When SSA calculates your widow's benefit starting in January 2025, it will automatically include any COLA that was announced in October 2024 (for 2025). You don't need to do anything special to receive it - it's built into everyone's benefits, even if you're just starting. The SSA typically announces the COLA in October for the following year. So the amount they quoted you might not include the 2025 COLA if they calculated it before the announcement. Your actual payment could be slightly higher once they apply the COLA percentage.
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Peyton Clarke
AuthorThank you so much for explaining! So do you think I should call them back in November to get an updated estimate that includes the 2025 COLA? I really need to know the exact amount for planning purposes.
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Sophia Gabriel
congrats on the widows benefit! i got mine last year and yes the COLA was in there from day 1. just remember the estimate they give u might change a little bit when they finalize everything
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Peyton Clarke
AuthorThanks for sharing your experience. Did your final amount end up being pretty close to the estimate they gave you initially?
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Tobias Lancaster
The $1,874 estimate they provided may or may not include the 2025 COLA, depending on when you applied and how they calculated it. Here's how it works: 1) If you applied recently and they calculated your benefit before the October 2024 COLA announcement, then no, that estimate wouldn't include the 2025 COLA 2) All beneficiaries receive the COLA starting with their January payment, regardless of when they started receiving benefits 3) The COLA is applied to your primary insurance amount (PIA), which is the base figure used to calculate all benefits The calculation for widow's benefits is complex because it depends on several factors: your age at application (reduction for filing before your FRA), whether your deceased spouse took benefits early, and the maximum family benefit limit. If budget planning is critical, I'd recommend calling SSA after the 2025 COLA is announced (usually mid-October 2024) to get the updated amount.
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Peyton Clarke
AuthorThis is incredibly helpful! I didn't realize there were so many factors involved. I'll definitely call after the October announcement to get the updated figure. Is there a specific department I should ask for when I call?
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Ezra Beard
When I started getting my retirement benefits 2 years ago, I had the same question! The payment amount they first told me was actually wrong and I had to call them 3 different times to get it straightened out. So definitely double-check in December before your payments start.
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Tobias Lancaster
This is good advice. It's always wise to verify your benefit amount, especially before payments begin. Sometimes there can be discrepancies in how benefits are calculated, particularly with survivor benefits which have additional complexity.
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Statiia Aarssizan
I've been trying to reach SSA for weeks about a similar issue with my widow's benefits calculation and keep getting disconnected or waiting for hours. I finally tried a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Regarding your question - yes, you'll get the COLA from day one of your benefits. The estimate they gave you probably doesn't include it yet though, since the 2025 COLA won't be announced until October 2024.
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Peyton Clarke
AuthorThank you for the tip! I've been dreading having to call them again because last time I was on hold for over an hour and then got disconnected. I'll check out that service if I have trouble getting through when I call in October.
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Reginald Blackwell
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF WIDOWS BENEFITS ARE TAXABLE?? I'm in a similar situation and just realized I haven't even thought about taxes! Sorry to hijack your thread but figured since we're both dealing with widows benefits...
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Vince Eh
Yes, widow's benefits can be taxable depending on your total income. If your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of your Social Security benefits) exceeds $25,000 for individuals or $32,000 for joint filers, up to 85% of your benefits may be taxable. You might want to start a new thread with your specific tax situation for more detailed answers.
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Aria Khan
listen the SSA people dont even know half the time when you call they told me one thing and then my actual benefit was different so dont stress about the exact number now just know itll have whatever COLA they approve
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Tobias Lancaster
While frontline SSA representatives do their best, benefit calculations can be complex, especially for survivors. If you receive inconsistent information, consider requesting to speak with a Technical Expert who specializes in benefit computations. They can often provide more detailed and accurate information about how your specific benefit was calculated.
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Peyton Clarke
I appreciate everyone's responses! I'm going to wait until after the COLA announcement in October and then call the SSA to get an updated estimate. It sounds like I'll definitely get the COLA increase included in my January payment, which is reassuring. I'm still a bit confused about how they calculate widow's benefits though. Is the $1,874 they quoted me based on my deceased husband's record alone, or does it also factor in my own work history somehow?
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Tobias Lancaster
That's an excellent question about the calculation. The $1,874 is based on your deceased husband's earnings record, not yours. As a widow, you're entitled to between 71.5% and 100% of your deceased husband's primary insurance amount (PIA), depending on your age when you begin receiving benefits. At 60, you'd receive 71.5% of his PIA. Your own work history becomes relevant if you're eligible for retirement benefits on your own record. In that case, you would ultimately receive the higher of either your own retirement benefit or the widow's benefit. You can actually switch between benefits at different times to maximize your payments - many widows take reduced widow's benefits early and then switch to their own (unreduced) retirement benefits at full retirement age if that amount is higher.
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Jamal Washington
@Tobias Lancaster explained it perfectly! Just to add a bit more context - since you re'applying at 60, you re'getting the earliest possible widow s'benefit which is why it s'reduced to 71.5% of your husband s'PIA. If you have your own work record and think you might qualify for a higher retirement benefit later, you could potentially do what s'called a restricted "application strategy." You d'take the reduced widow s'benefit now and then switch to your own retirement benefit at your full retirement age probably (67 if) it s'higher. This way you get some income now while letting your own benefit potentially grow with delayed retirement credits if you wait past full retirement age. Definitely worth asking SSA about both scenarios when you call for that updated estimate!
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