Relief for retirees: How inflation will shape your Social Security benefits in 2025

Starting in January, Social Secuirty beneficiaries will see the 2.5 percent Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2025 applied to their benefits.

This adjustment is made annually by the Social Security Adminstration based on consumer price data. The 2025 COLA is smaller than that offered in 2024 (3.2 percent) and 2023 (8.7 percent). However, in the two months since the calculation, prices for key commodities, including groceries, housing, and public transportation, have continued to rise.

Is more relief on the way?

No. Any additional price increases will factor into the 2026 COLA, meaning that as price growth continues to cut into the purchasing power of seniors, no relief will come for another year.

However, you might be eligible for other federal benefits to boost your income to purchase food. SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, sends monthly benefits to those eligible and enrolled to be used on groceries. Only a small fraction of retirees eligible for SNAP benefits are enrolled in the program. The National Council on Aging found that three-fifths of eligible seniors were not taking advantage of benefits and encouraged many struggling to apply.

How much can you receive through SNAP?

In 2025, the payments sent by most states to a household of one will be $292, rising to $536 when two people live in the home.

In most states, to qualify for SNAP, a household of one must have a monthly income under $1,255 or $1,704 for a household of two. Alaska and Hawaii have different income limits as hosts have higher incomes in those geographies. All income eligibility information is available on the US Department of Agriculture’s website.

To learn more about the benefits available in your state, contact the agency that administers SNAP. If you have any questions, you can typically contact the office by phone, and a staff member can walk you through the application process.

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