Will my newly approved Social Security benefit already include 2025 COLA increase?
Finally got approved for my retirement benefits today (1/23/2025)! After months of waiting and stressing, I checked my MySocialSecurity account this morning and saw the approval notice. Says I'll get an official letter in 7-10 business days. My first payment is scheduled for the second week of February (based on my birth date according to the claims specialist). I filed back in November and requested a January 2025 start date. My big question: Does anyone know if the benefit amount showing in my account ($4,217) already includes the 2025 COLA increase? Or will that be added later? I'm trying to budget accurately and don't want any surprises. The SSA website isn't clear about this and I can't get through on the phone. Thanks in advance for any insights!
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Zainab Khalil
Congrats on approval! Yes, the amount you see does include the 2025 COLA. SSA applies the COLA to all benefits starting with the January payment cycle, regardless of when you were approved. I just went through this last month - what you see online is what you'll get (minus any Medicare premiums if you're enrolled).
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Miguel Ortiz
•Thank you! That's a relief to know. I was worried I'd need to adjust my budget if they were going to add the COLA later. I appreciate the quick response!
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QuantumQuest
Yepp what you see is what you get! The cola was already applied back in december for the january paymentsđź‘Ť
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Miguel Ortiz
•Thanks for confirming! Seems like I'm good to go then.
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Connor Murphy
The amount you're seeing in your MySocialSecurity account ($4,217) already includes the 2025 COLA adjustment of 3.1%. The Social Security Administration applies all COLAs to benefits starting with the January payment cycle each year. The calculation is performed automatically in their system when determining your benefit amount. If you enrolled in Medicare, keep in mind that your Part B premium (currently $174.70/month for most people in 2025) will be deducted from this amount before it hits your bank account. Also, depending on your other income, you might have federal taxes withheld if you elected that option. Your award letter will break down all these details when it arrives. The letter typically arrives sooner than their estimated timeframe.
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Miguel Ortiz
•This is incredibly helpful! I did sign up for Medicare, so I'll make sure to factor in that deduction. Good to know about the taxes too - I did elect to have some withholding. I'll keep an eye out for the award letter.
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Yara Haddad
DONT TRUST WHAT U SEE ONLINE!!! When i got approved last year the amount online was $267 LESS than what i actually got!!! The SSA computer systems are NOTORIOUS for errors. Call them before you count on that number!!!
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Connor Murphy
•That's unusual. Typically the online amount is accurate. The difference you experienced might have been due to delayed earnings not yet recorded, a recalculation based on additional information, or possibly a special minimum benefit provision. While systems can have errors, the MySocialSecurity estimates are generally reliable once an application is approved with a specified amount.
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Keisha Robinson
I just went through this same exact thing in December! The amount shown includes the COLA. BUT here's what happened to me - the amount changed slightly (about $43 less) between approval and my first payment. When I called, they said it was because of some recalculation with my earnings from 2023 that weren't initially counted. So just be prepared that the number might adjust slightly before your first payment.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Oh that's good to know! I'll be mentally prepared for a possible small adjustment then. Did they explain the recalculation in your award letter, or did you only find out by calling?
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Keisha Robinson
•The letter had the final amount but didn't explain the difference. I had to call to get the explanation, which took FOREVER. I waited on hold for 2.5 hours and got disconnected twice before finally getting through. So frustrating!
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Paolo Conti
I see you're trying to get accurate information about your newly approved benefits. Based on my experience, calling SSA directly is still the only way to get 100% accurate information specific to your case. However, like many have experienced, the wait times are absolutely brutal. I recently discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an SSA agent in under 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It really saved me when I needed to verify my benefit calculation details after approval. Regarding your actual question, in my case the amount shown after approval did include the COLA, but having an agent confirm the specific details for your situation would give you peace of mind.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Thank you for the suggestion! I'll check out that service. I've tried calling three times this week and either waited for hours or got disconnected. At this point, I just want to speak to a real person to confirm everything is correct before I start making financial plans.
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Yara Haddad
•Is this claimyr thing legit??? Sounds like a scam to me. Why would anyone pay for something the government provides for FREE???
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Paolo Conti
•It's definitely legitimate - they don't replace any SSA services, they just help you get through the phone system faster. I was skeptical too until I tried it out of desperation after spending days trying to reach someone. Saved me hours of waiting and frustration.
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Amina Sow
To directly answer your question: Yes, the $4,217 amount showing in your MySocialSecurity account already includes the 2025 COLA increase of 3.1%. Here's how the process works: 1. SSA calculates your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) based on your earnings history 2. They apply any adjustments for early/delayed retirement 3. The annual COLA is applied automatically to all benefits starting with January payments Since your benefit is starting in January 2025, your initial benefit amount already has the COLA built in. The only deductions that might occur would be for Medicare premiums (if enrolled) and any tax withholding you elected. One thing to note: occasionally there can be small adjustments between the initially displayed amount and your first payment if SSA processes additional earnings information or makes other technical adjustments. These are usually minor.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Thank you for such a clear explanation! This is exactly what I needed to know. The process makes sense now, and I'll be prepared for any possible small adjustments.
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QuantumQuest
my brother got aprroved in january too and his benefit was like 600$ more than the estimate on the SS website from before he applied!!! something about delayed retirement credits they didnt calculate before or something
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Amina Sow
•That's a great point. The online calculators sometimes don't capture Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs) accurately before filing. If someone waited past their Full Retirement Age to claim, they earn an 8% increase for each year delayed (up to age 70). These credits can significantly boost the final benefit amount compared to early estimates.
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Miguel Ortiz
Thank you all for the helpful responses! I really appreciate this community. Based on your answers, it sounds like the amount I'm seeing ($4,217) does already include the 2025 COLA, but I should be prepared for possibly small adjustments before my first payment. I'll also remember to account for Medicare premiums and tax withholding. I think I'll try that Claimyr service mentioned above just to get final confirmation from SSA directly. After months of paperwork and waiting, I want to make sure everything is 100% correct before I start making financial plans based on this income. Will update once I get my award letter!
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