Social Security payment coming on October 23: Will the check include the 2025 COLA increase?

On Wednesday, October 23, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will distribute the final round of Social Security checks for beneficiaries born between the 21st and 31st of any month.

Earlier this month, the SSA announced that the 2025 COLA will be 2.5 percent, meaning that starting next year, one’s benefit amount will increase by that factor. This also means that the check received by those slated to receive one on Thursday will not reflect the increase.

When will the first COLA-adjusted benefits be sent?

The distribution of benefits depends on one’s birthday, meaning that Social Security beneficiaries will receive their checks on:

The only exception to this schedule relates to beneficiaries who have been receiving payments since before May 1997 and those that also receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as these beneficiaries are paid on the third of the month.

How much will the average Social Security check increase in 2025?

The 2.5 percent COLA that will be tacked onto benefits next year is smaller than that which was applied to benefits this year (3.2 percent) and last year (8.7 percent), meaning that the benefit increase in dollar terms will also be smaller.

In August 2024, the average Social Security check for a retired worker was $1,920.48, and after the 2.5 percent increase is accounted for the check value will increase by $48.01 to $1,968.49.

However, for the other beneficiary categories, the increases will look something like this:

One can calculate their individual benefit amount by multiplying the current value of their benefits by 2.5 percent, and adding that result to their current benefit value.