More than 70 million Americans receive some type of payment from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the United States. These benefits range from retirement benefits to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and disability benefits. Each of these three programs has its own amounts and eligibility requirements, and they are not mutually exclusive. One of the most important features is that once these benefits have been claimed, there is no possibility of increasing the amount.
However, each year the amount received increases by a percentage, and this is due to the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), which is obtained by comparing the Consumer Price Index (CPI) during the third quarter of each year. In addition, there has been a further increase in the amount since September 2025. This increase by Social Security is in response to the benefits obtained from cutting back on the issuance of paper checks to beneficiaries. However, those who wish to continue receiving a paper check for their monthly benefit may continue to do so.
Social Security Administration (SSA)
It is the task of the Social Security Administration (SSA) to meet the needs of more than 70 million Americans each month. This assistance is provided through monthly deposits corresponding to retirement payments, Supplemental Security Income, and disability benefits. These are independent programs, each with their own eligibility requirements and amounts, but they are by no means mutually exclusive. Once these benefits are requested, the beneficiary cannot increase the amount they receive monthly from Social Security.
Retirement program
The retirement program is, in most cases, the only source of income for retirees. Each beneficiary receives a different amount, which depends on when they apply for retirement. As stated in the requirements, the longer you wait to apply for retirement, the higher the amount will be, up to $5,108. To receive this amount, the following eligibility requirements must be met:
- Do not apply for retirement benefits until you reach age 70.
- You must earn above the maximum Social Security taxable threshold for at least 35 years while contributing to your retirement benefits.
Once you have applied, there is no turning back, as there is no possibility of increasing the amount you receive. The same applies to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and disability benefits, which are determined based on your income. In addition, as a general rule, if your annual income exceeds the limits set out in the requirements, you will not be eligible for SSI and disability benefits.
So, is there no way to increase the monthly SSA amount?
The answer is no. However, the amounts to be received are adjusted each year thanks to the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), which is calculated based on changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) during the third quarter. This percentage allows monthly amounts to be adjusted to the real needs of families, especially in periods when inflation causes the cost of living to rise. For this reason, states with the highest average Social Security benefits will also see a larger increase determined by the COLA as of January 1, 2026. The lucky states are:
- New Jersey.
- Connecticut.
- Delaware.
- New Hampshire.
- Maryland.
- Michigan.
- Washington.
- Minnesota.
- Massachusetts.
- Indiana.
Distribution of benefits
Although COLA is the only increase that Social Security benefits can experience, the truth is that there has been a second increase in 2025. Since September, beneficiaries have stopped receiving (with some exceptions) physical paper checks to collect their monthly payments. This has led to savings in administration, which have been distributed as benefits to beneficiaries.
However, the exceptions mentioned above apply to cases where beneficiaries have difficulty adapting to online financial services, such as people over 90 years of age, beneficiaries with mental and/or physical disabilities, and beneficiaries who live in remote areas where digital financial infrastructure may be scarce. Therefore, in these situations, beneficiaries can continue to request physical paper checks to receive their benefits.