$600 COLA hike: Good news for Social Security beneficiaries, know the full details!

$600 COLA hike: Recently, news spread rapidly among Social Security recipients that their monthly payments are going to increase by $600. Some people were also claiming that the government is about to announce a new stimulus check. But is it true? The Social Security Administration (SSA) has responded to these claims, and according to them, this is completely false information. In this article, we will know in detail how this rumor spread, what effect it had on people, and what clarification the SSA has given on this.

How did the wrong information related to Social Security spread?

Recently, the news went viral on many social media platforms and some suspicious websites that Social Security beneficiaries would get an additional $600. Due to this rumor, SSA received more than 4,63,000 calls and contacts in a single day. This shows how many people were affected by this fake news.

Such false news is often spread with the aim of confusing people and spreading misunderstanding. Many times fraudsters try to get personal information from people by making such false claims. This is why SSA immediately responded to this news and called it completely untrue.

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SSA’s clarification: No truth in the $600 increase

Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley clearly said on this matter that this news of $600 increase is completely fake. He said, “Don’t fall for this hoax, be cautious and get information only from official sources.” SSA says that if there is any change, beneficiaries will be officially informed.

This appeal of SSA is important because many people depend on Social Security payments, and such wrong information can harm them financially.

Increasing cases of SSI/SSDI fraud

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Social Security scams account for the highest number of government-related fraud cases in the US. Last year alone, people were duped of about $126.5 million through such fraud.

Such scams particularly target elderly and disabled beneficiaries who depend on their monthly payments. This is why the SSA warns people not to share their personal details with unknown individuals or suspicious websites.

Social Security Payment Schedule (June 2025)

To clear up the recent confusion, the SSA also clarified that payments are always made as per the scheduled schedule. The payment dates for June 2025 are as follows:

June 3: People who have already been receiving Social Security since May 1997 will receive payments on this date.
June 12: Those born between June 1 and June 10 will receive payments on this day.
June 18: Those born between June 11 and June 20 will receive their payments (due to the Juneteenth holiday).
June 26: Those born between June 21 and June 30 will receive payments on this day.

The SSA has also said that all payments will be issued on time, and beneficiaries do not need to worry about anything.

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COLA increase announced for 2025

The SSA announced on October 10, 2025, that the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2025 will be 2.5%. This increase will take effect in January 2025.

This COLA increase will cause the average monthly Social Security retirement payment to increase from $1,927 to $1,976. However, this increase is relatively small, indicating that inflation has slowed.

Impact of COLA increase on beneficiaries

Although the COLA increase is intended to maintain the purchasing power of beneficiaries, many worry that this increase will not be enough to meet the rising cost of living. This concern is justified, especially considering the rising prices of basic necessities like food, housing, and healthcare.

Impact on Medicare Part B premiums

Another important aspect is that Medicare Part B premiums are also deducted from Social Security payments. Its monthly fee of $174.70 in 2025 is likely to increase to $185 in 2025.

This means that a part of the COLA increase will go to cover the Medicare premium hike, which will not benefit beneficiaries as much as they are expecting.

SSA’s official advice: Be cautious

SSA has advised beneficiaries to visit only the official website ssa.gov for any information related to their Social Security payments.

Apart from this, SSA has also provided some tools through which people can report fraud. If you are given any suspicious information related to Social Security through a suspicious call, email or message, report it immediately.

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Conclusion

The rumors about the $600 COLA hike are completely false, and the SSA has categorically denied the news. Social Security beneficiaries should get updates from official sources only to avoid any kind of misinformation.

The 2.5% COLA hike will be implemented from January 2025, but beneficiaries do not need to take any additional steps to avail it. Also, a possible increase in Medicare Part B premiums will also have to be taken into account.