Social Security's 2025 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) didn't come as a surprise to many who have been keeping an eye on the inflation data. But that doesn't stop it from disappointing the millions of retirees who were hoping for more.

The Social Security Administration announced 2025's cost of living adjustment (COLA) to Social Security checks.

The smaller increase for 2025 reflects moderating inflation. Retirees voiced concern that the increase would not be enough to counter rising costs.

Inflation has fallen from the four-decade high it reached in 2022, but the price increases that scorched the economy following the pandemic are still a source of hardship for many retired workers. Consider these statistics from the Schroders 2024 U.S. Retirement Survey: Fewer than 50% of retired workers believe they have enough money saved.

Tens of millions of retirees will see a modest increase in benefits this January when a new cost-of-living adjustment is added to Social Security payments.

The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for millions of retirees will amount to an average increase of more than $50 for retirees a month. Social Security recipients got a 3.2% increase in benefits in 2024 after a historically large 8.

A fourth consecutive year of an above-average cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is still likely to leave retirees disappointed.

Each year, Social Security benefits are eligible for a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. COLAs are supposed to help recipients keep up with inflation so they don't fall behind as living costs rise naturally over time.

Tens of millions of older Americans will see a 2.5% increase in benefits this January when a new cost-of-living adjustment is added to Social Security payments

Below, we'll detail the specifics of the 2025 COLA increase and what it means for you. For more, here's our essential Social Security cheat sheet, and don't miss the Social Securi

The purpose of Social Security COLAs is to help ensure that beneficiaries don't lose buying power as inflation drives the cost of living upward. At the start of 2024, Social Security benefits rose by 3.