Every January, the Social Security Administration recalculates benefits to adjust for inflation. In 2025, the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is set at 2.5%, raising the average retiree’s salary. SSI recipients feel the impact first, as their higher amounts (now $967 for an individual and $1,450 for a couple) arrive a couple of days earlier than expected.
Labor Day falls on Monday, September 1, so SSI benefits are advanced
A quirk in the 2025 payment schedule explains this “advance” payment. Federal rules advance SSI payments when the first day of the month falls on a weekend or holiday. Labor Day falls on Monday, September 1, 2025, so September SSI benefits are advanced to Friday, August 29.
The maximum monthly SSI payment for 2025 is $967 for an individual (up from $943) and $1,450 for a couple. Your amount may be lower depending on your income, the income of certain family members, your living situation, and other factors.
Who is this raise for?
Everyone on the Social Security rolls benefits from the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), but approximately 7.5 million low-income elderly or disabled people who receive SSI are the ones who suffer the most from the double deposit issue. No additional paperwork is requireed.
Retirees and Survivors: Approximately 68 million retirees, spouses, widows, and widowers see their checks increase by the same 2.5%, an increase that adds up to nearly $600 in 12 months for the typical retiree.
A qualifying family with two children can get more than $5,600
Taxpayers with Refundable Credits: Families who claimed the EITC or ACTC often receive four-figure refunds. The average EITC refund last year was more than $2,500, but a qualifying family with two children can get more than $5,600, money that often arrives just as summer childcare bills skyrocket.
On the other hand, children receiving SSI who live with their parents can have their payments reduced based on their parents’ income or their parents’ income. And if they live in someone else’s home and don’t pay their fair share of food and shelter costs, their SSI payment can be reduced by up to $342.33. It’s important to note that some states offer an additional payment called a “state supplement” to help with food and shelter costs. This type of payment will not reduce SSI.
Beneficiaries must be U.S. citizens or non-citizens in one of the migrant classifications
It’s important to remember that beneficiaries must be U.S. citizens or non-citizens in one of the migrant classifications provided by the Department of Homeland Security. They must also reside in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and must not be absent from the United States for a regular month or 30 consecutive days.
How this will be reflected in payments
Because the changes are legal, employers must implement them in the first full workweek that includes July 1. In practice, workers who receive their biweekly pay should see higher take-home pay in checks dated July 12 or 19, depending on the payroll cycle.
Those who file their tax returns at the end of the season, those who file amended returns, and those who are using Form 8962 or Form 2441 are still in the process. This “extra” may not make anyone richer, but it certainly helps those struggling to make ends meet. This extra is, in fact, the result of the inflation protection the country is currently experiencing.
