How Much Will Social Security Recipients Collect Monthly in 2022?

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Posted: October 18, 2021

Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 70 million Americans will increase 5.9% in 2022, the federal government recently announced.

The 5.9% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries will receive in January 2022. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2021. (The Social Security Administration notes that some people receive both types of benefits.)

The COLA amount for 2021 was 1.3% and for 2020, it was 1.6%.

The purpose of the COLA, according to the Social Security Administration, is to ensure that the purchasing power of benefits is not eroded by inflation. The COLA is based on inflation changes as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

Estimated Average Monthly Social Security Benefits in 2022

Type of Benefit or Family		Before 5.9% COLA	After 5.9% COLA	Increase
Benefit Type	All retired workers	$1,565	$1,657	$92
Benefit Type	All disabled workers	$1,282	$1,358	$76
Family Type	Disabled worker, spouse and one or more children	$2,250	$2,383	$133
	Aged couple, both receiving benefits	$2,599	$2,753	$154
	Aged widow or widow(er) alone	$1,467	$1,553	$86
	Widowed mother and 2 children	$3,009	$3,187	$178
	— Source: Social Security Administration