March 26 payments include 2.5% COLA increase

On March 26, 2025, Social Security beneficiaries will receive their regular payments, which will include a 2.5% increase. This adjustment is to help beneficiaries cope with inflation. Eligible retirees could receive up to $5,108 depending on their age and benefit type. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will send out its payments on a Wednesday. Monthly benefits will increase due to the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). For instance, average retirement benefits will rise from about $1,976 to around $2,025. Other categories, like disability and survivor benefits, will also see similar increases. This year, retirees at age 70 can receive the maximum amount of $5,108. Those at full retirement age of 67 might get up to $4,018, while those starting at age 62 will see a figure of about $2,831. Changes from the Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2025, will also affect payments. This law repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), benefiting over 3.2 million people. Retroactive payments for those affected began in February and averaged about $6,710. Recent beneficiaries might receive their retroactive payment along with their regular check on March 26, or separately by the end of the month. Starting in April, those impacted by the WEP and GPO changes will see higher monthly payments, but the March 26 payments will reflect the old amount plus the recent COLA increase.