In May 2025, Social Security will make significant changes for Veterans Affairs beneficiaries, retirees, and disability compensation. The Social Security Administration (SSA) made significant changes at the start of 2025 to safeguard the financial security of recipients in the face of persistent inflation. These changes, which went into effect in January, are influencing the financial outlook for retirees, people with disabilities, and veterans who receive VA benefits, as more than 70 million Americans depend on monthly payments.
The Social Security Administration has confirmed major changes for retirees, disabled people, and veterans next month
One of the most important adjustments is the 2025 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), which is set at 2.5%. This raise ensures that monthly benefits maintain their purchasing power by helping to offset growing living expenses. The COLA has been automatically applied to all Social Security benefits since the start of the year and was computed using inflation statistics for 2024. In addition to the COLA bump, higher-income workers are making larger contributions to the system because the taxable earnings maximum increased from $160,200 in 2024 to $176,100 in 2025.
Moreover, the possibility of raising the full retirement age is also being considered. The retirement age may progressively increase to 68 or even 70 years old in the upcoming years, depending on your birth year. The goal of this adjustment is to alleviate the system’s financial strain and reflect longer life expectancies. It is important to note that these changes mostly affect:
- Retired workers. Whose monthly payments have been raised to better cover growing expenses.
- Disabled Americans. Those who frequently depend solely on Social Security income to cover their basic living costs.
When will the SSA recipients receive the last payment of April?
According to the Social Security payment schedule for this month, beneficiaries from the retirement, survivor, and disability insurance (RSDI) program will receive their last check on April 23rd. Bear in mind that to receive this benefit, beneficiaries should first meet full retirement age requirements and have paid enough social security taxes over time. On this day, only beneficiaries who were born between the 21st and 31st will receive the last payment of April.
This structure adheres to the SSA’s regular distribution scheme, in which payment dates are decided by the recipient’s birth date. This month’s payments, which include the 2.5% COLA rise implemented in January, end on April 23. Furthermore, regarding next month’s payment schedule, beneficiaries will get their benefits on the following days:
- On May 1st, for beneficiaries who qualify for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
- On May 2nd, for beneficiaries who qualify for the RSDI program and previously claimed their first check before May 1997.
- On May 14th, for beneficiaries who qualify for the RSDI program and were born between the 1st and the 10th.
- On May 21st, for beneficiaries who qualify for the RSDI program and were born between the 11th and the 20th.
- On May 28th, for beneficiaries who qualify for the RSDI program and were born between the 21st and the 31st.
- On May 30th, SSI beneficiaries will get an extra payment, as the first of June falls on a weekend.
These payments, like in previous months, will cover the whole COLA rise, giving monthly income a slight but noticeable increase. To verify the precise dates of payments and updated benefit amounts, beneficiaries are advised to visit their My Social Security accounts. Keeping up with these developments is crucial for budget management and planning for the upcoming months. Lastly, keep in mind that for additional information regarding SSA benefits, beneficiaries can access the official website or check their My Social Security Account, where they can download financial statements or request further information.
