“Last year, the Social Security Administration announced that seniors would be getting their largest cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, in decades. Fueled by rampant inflation, Social Security benefits are in line for a 5.9% boost this year.”
The COLA increase in Social Security is welcomed by seniors depending upon their benefits but the timing varies, says the article “Social Security Benefits Get a 5.9% Raise This Year—Here's When You Should See That Extra Money” from the Lincoln Journal Star. Here’s what you can expect.
The first benefit check or automatic deposit should arrive with the 5.9% COLA. However, the timing depends upon your date of birth. If your birthday falls between the first and the 10th of the month, those benefits should arrive on the second Wednesday of the month, so by January 12, you’ve should have received your first Social Security benefit with the COLA.
What if your birthday is between the 11th and 20th of the month? Benefits should arrive by the third Wednesday of the month. That’s a raise on January 19.
And if your birthday is late in the month, between the 21st and 31st, expect your benefits on the fourth Wednesday of the month—that would be January 26.
A caveat—if you’re collecting Social Security but have not yet enrolled in Medicare, then you’ll see a monthly increase of 5.9%. However, if you’ve enrolled in Medicare Part B and pay premiums directly from your benefits, your increase will be less. This is the push me—pull you of Social Security COLAs.
Medicare Part B premiums have increased, from $148.50 in 2021 to $171.10 in 2022, a total increase of $21.60. So, while you may have hoped for a true 5.9% increase, subtract the COLA from your premium hike to see what monthly benefit you’ll really get.
The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries is $233 in 2022. That’s a $30 increase from the $203 annual deductible in 2021.
Yes, this is the biggest COLA increase in a long time, as we have been in a low inflation environment for a very long time. If possible, it would be wise to take your COLA increase and set it aside to create or enhance a financial cushion. However, when living costs for everything from food to gas keep going up, it’s simply not possible for most people to save.
The reason this year’s COLA was so large is because of the high inflation rates from the third quarter of 2021. If inflation had been less, so would have been the increase. We don’t know what the future of Social Security will be, or what future COLAs will be. However, if at all possible, building in a little security of your own is the best recommendation.
Reference: Lincoln Journal Star (Jan. 7, 2022) “Social Security Benefits Get a 5.9% Raise This Year—Here's When You Should See That Extra Money”
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