Below, we'll detail the specifics of the 2025 COLA increase and what it means for you. For more, here's our essential Social Security cheat sheet, and don't miss the Social Securi

Put another way, a larger Social Security COLA for 2025 wouldn't necessarily do you more good than a 2.5% raise. And the reason is that a larger COLA would mean higher levels of inflation.

The limit shifts annually based on the national average wage index. The limit for 2025 will be $176,100, up about 4.4% from $168,600 in 2024. Earnings above those caps aren’t subject to Social Security taxes but still incur levies for Medicare.