In December, the Social Security Administration mailed out important letters to all Social Security beneficiaries about their new cost-of-living adjustment increase. Do not lose that piece of mail — you may need it this year.
The letter shows how much your new benefit amount should be for 2024, and you may need to use it if you’re planning to apply for loans or energy assistance.
Just as important, if the first COLA payment you received in January wasn’t what you expected, you can make an appeal to the Social Security Administration and use your COLA letter to show proof of the intended payment amount. For more details about your Social Security benefits, use this cheat sheet for understanding your 2024 benefits. Also, find out if you actually need to file your taxes this year.
I didn’t get my COLA letter. Now what?
The Social Security Administration told CNET that it sent out letters in the mail throughout the month of December, so you should have already received your notice.
However, if you think you may have tossed or misplaced it, contact the Social Security office as soon as possible. The administration can help you track down where the letter is or replace it if it’s lost.
Is my new benefit amount online somewhere?
You might be able to find your 2024 benefit amount online if you had an online My Social Security account set up before Nov. 15, 2023. If so, you’ll be able to access your statement in the Messages Center. Otherwise, you’ll need to wait for a new letter to arrive after you request it.
For more, find out whether the COLA increase will affect your taxes this year. Additionally, if you expect to get a tax refund this year, here’s the quickest way to get it.
