OHIO — Reminder: Ohioans will see an increase in their Social Security benefits beginning in January 2025.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced today that Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments will increase by 2.5% in 2025, affecting over 72.5 million Americans.

The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will raise the average Social Security retirement benefit by about $50 per month starting in January.

This increase is slightly below the average COLA over the past decade, which has been 2.6%. By comparison, the COLA for 2024 was 3.2%.

Nearly 68 million Social Security beneficiaries will see the adjustment in January 2025, while increased payments for approximately 7.5 million SSI recipients will begin on December 31, 2024.

Some individuals receive both Social Security and SSI benefits.

Other Adjustments for 2025

The maximum earnings subject to Social Security tax will also increase from $168,600 to $176,100, reflecting average wage growth.

Notifications and Simplified Notices

Beneficiaries will begin receiving notifications about their updated benefit amounts by mail starting in early December.

This year, for the first time, the SSA will issue newly designed, one-page COLA notices. These notices will feature personalized details, including exact benefit amounts, deduction details, and key dates.

Those with a personal my Social Security account can access their COLA notices online, which the SSA says is faster and more secure than waiting for mail delivery.

Beneficiaries can sign up for text or email alerts to be notified when their notice is available online.

However, to access the COLA notice digitally, individuals must create a my Social Securityaccount by November 20.

Medicare Updates

Details about Medicare changes for 2025 will be available on www.medicare.gov.

Social Security beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare will be able to view their updated benefit amounts via the my Social Security Message Center starting in late November.

Beneficiaries who opt for traditional mail notifications will receive their COLA notices in December.

How COLA is Calculated

The annual COLA is tied to changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For more information about the 2025 COLA, visit www.ssa.gov/cola. Beneficiaries can also learn more about managing their accounts and setting up alerts at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.