In 2024, how will Social Security payments be calculated? What is COLA?

In 2024, how will Social Security payments be calculated? What is COLA?.The Social Security Administration annually releases a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that results in increased payments to recipients such as retirees, survivors, and disability beneficiaries. This adjustment is designed to account for the rising cost of living and ensure that beneficiaries receive adequate support.

In 2024, how will Social Security payments be calculated? What is COLA?

The COLA is applied to Social Security benefits to maintain the purchasing power of retirees, survivors, and disabled individuals.The Consumer Price Index for Salaried Workers in Urban Areas and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) is used to calculate COLA. From the third quarter of the previous year to the third quarter of the current year, the calculation is made. In the following year, Social Security payments will increase as a result.

The CPI-W for the third quarter of 2021 was 291.901, while that for the third quarter of 2022 was 268.421. As a result of the increase in insurance payments for 2023, there was a difference of 8.7% between one quarter and the next.

The Social Security payment structure in 2024

A high level of inflation resulted in a higher COLA increase in 2023. Since inflation has fallen month after month, next year’s increase is expected to be smaller.According to The Senior Citizens League, one of the nation’s largest nonpartisan senior groups, the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2024 could be 2.7%. Data from the May consumer price index is used to make this estimate.CPI-W, the index used to determine COLA, rose 3.6% year-over-year in May, the lowest level since March 2021.