Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 5.9 percent in 2022. The 5.9 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2022. Increased payments to approximately 8 million SSI beneficiaries began on December 30, 2021. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits). The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $147,000 from $142,800.

Social Security and SSI beneficiaries are normally notified by mail starting in early December about their new benefit amount. Most people who receive Social Security payments are able to view their COLA notice online through their personal my Social Security account. People may create or access their my Social Security account online at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

• What might be a secure and convenient way to receive COLA notices online and save the message for later?
• Ask students to trace the history of automatic Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA).

Discussion Questions

1. How can you avoid falling victim to fraudulent “Social Security” calls and internet “phishing” schemes?
2. What is the purpose of the COLA adjustments?
3. What is the official measure used by the Social Security Administration to calculate COLA?