An estimated 61 million people collect Social Security benefits -- for many it is the only source of retirement income.
Changes to the Social Security Administration pension program are an annual event and 2020 is no different. Some changes are due to formulas, while others are part of the legislative framework underpinning Social Security.
Here are six changes announced by the SSA last month:
Benefits are increasing. Seniors are getting a raise, but unfortunately, not as big of one as this year. The annual cost-of-living adjustment is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers and is 1.6% for 2020.
Seniors received a 2.8% increase this year. The COLA is designed to keep pace with inflation, not necessarily exceed it.
"The average of all Social Security recipients together, the average of their monthly increases is going to equate to about $24 a month," said Brian Doherty, author of the 2015 book, Getting Paid To Wait – Bigger Social Security Benefits the Simple and Easy Way.
A higher monthly maximum payout. According to the SSA, the maximum monthly benefit at full retirement age will increase by $150 a month to $3,011.
To hit Social Security's maximum monthly benefit, a worker would need to have hit or surpassed the maximum taxable earnings cap for 35 years. SSA takes your 35 highest-earning, inflation-adjusted years when calculating your retired worker benefit.
Retirement age continues to increase. The full retirement age will increase next year by two months to 66 years and eight months for persons born in 1958. Anyone born before 1954 or earlier has a full retirement age of 66. But for those born after that, the full retirement age increases in two-month increments and stops with those born in 1960.
Anyone born in 1960 and later has a full retirement age of 67.
The earnings cap rises. As it stands, once you surpass $132,900 in earnings, you no longer have to pay FICA taxes, which fund Social Security. That earning cap is increasing to $137,700 next year.
"That only effects wealthy people and it’s only about 6% of all wage earners in this country that have earnings that exceed that earnings cap," Doherty explained. "So 94% of people pay those FICA taxes on all their earnings."
Disability benefits increased. While primarily a retirement pension program, Social Security also provides a monthly benefit to 8.4 million disabled workers, and about 1.6 million spouses and children of disabled workers. Those recipients are getting an increase as well.
Non-blind SSDI recipients can get a $40 monthly bump to $1,260, while blind SSDI beneficiaries can take home $70 more extra a month ($2,110 per month).
Early filers can earn more. Social Security recipients who take benefits early but keep working will be able to earn a little bit more in 2020.
Filers who will not hit full retirement in 2020 are allowed to earn $18,240 ($1,520 a month) without any withholding -- up $50 a month from 2019. After $18,240, however, the SSA can withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 in earned income.
Filers who reach full retirement age in 2020 are allowed to earn $48,600 ($4,050 a month) before any withholding, an increase of $140 a month from 2019. SSA will take $1 in benefits for every $3 in earned income above the threshold.
InsuranceNewsNet Senior Editor John Hilton has covered business and other beats in more than 20 years of daily journalism. John may be reached at john.hilton@innfeedback.com. Follow him on Twitter @INNJohnH.
© Entire contents copyright 2019 by InsuranceNewsNet.com Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted without the expressed written consent from InsuranceNewsNet.com.
So if you reach full retirement age and continue work there is a cap now? Full retirement use to mean you could work and still collect.
I thought that too, and I think it correct. The last paragraph of the article implies otherwise but I think it refers to people that took their benefits early. They get to earn more in that year that they reach FRA.
You have a cap on earnings only in the year you reach full retirement age. And then the cap only applies to the date that you reach full retirement. Let’s say you reach full retirement in June of 2020. You are limited to $48600 up to that date. After that no limit. That is my understanding so double check that with your local SEA office
There is somewhat of a misstatement in the article. In the year you REACH full retirement age, $1 is deducted for $3 earned above $48,600. Beginning with the month you reach full retirement age, your earnings no longer reduce your benefits, no matter how much you earn. (This is right of the Social Security website).
did you read the article?
The higher cap is only for the year you attain your Social Security Normal Retirement Age, for earnings up until the month you attain SSNRA. For subsequent years, there’s no earnings cap to reduce your Social Security benefits.
It doesn’t matter how much of a raise you get on your social security the Medicare insurance takes it and sometimes they take even more just like one yr out of 8 yrs of Obama’s being in office I got a $19.00 raise and my insurance went up to $21.00 so of corse they took that raise + $2.00 now that doesn’t do shit for ya at the grocery store or the utilities dept so the federal government isn’t doing shit for the American people they’re just lining their own pockets and stealing the Americans hard earned tax money.
Thanks for Nothing
Real talk .so sad and milk prices are 3.00 gal !! Big time BS !!
How about when social security gets a raise and they take our food stamps away and everything else them charges more for rent charges more for everything so what does it make a differenceyou get $19 raise in your check rent goes up $19 food stamps goes down $19 so what are you talkin about I don’t consider that a raise
Amen to that. They raise you 24.00. Then food stamps deducts that from your benefit, along with my rent increase of 20.00 a month. So that 24.00 increase turns into 44.00 they are taking back. And raising the retirement age…what a crock…Secondly l feel if you collect survivors benefits you should also get be able to receive insurance benefits.
I agree with you these people sitting up in Congress don’t understand what it is to live on a fixed income maybe if they were to live on a fixed income they would understand where we’re coming from yeah given us a 1.6% increase that’s a crock of bull then they’re going to increase the Medicare premium so we don’t get no increase but like you said the light department groceries their stuff keeps on going up it up hours does it
I totally agree with you. Politcians are getting super rich. Every year we get a thing increase just to more and double that amount in increased Medicare payments and supplemental insurance.
Your right! We all agree!
Boy Glenda, you got that right. Never understand why the changes in the program always punishes the ones who depend on it & benefits those that have money. Biggest problem with our systems is they should let those who depend on it make the rules/changes. It’s also sad that so many are getting SS benefits that have paid little, if any, into the system but yet they can draw the same amount of $$ that those of us who have worked & paid in 45+ years!! When we started working all those years ago, that was our pension program. Now that we don’t have time to make other retirement investments, we’re having the rules changed, benefits reduced, Medicare costs increased basically just “pulling the rug out from under us”.
Amen to that.
Yiu are so right. I paid into social security for 3o years and all I get is 283.00$ a month because I worked for the post office for 21 years and get a pension from there so I cant have all my social security and yet these senators and congressmen can retire with 75% of there salary and free health insurance. How the hell is that fair?
If I retire with an annual earning of $ 47, 000 at the age of 67 how much I will collect
Dear Glenda Glover, you are 100% right about all of it! It’s really horrible, the way our government works, the rich get richer, pay less taxes… I’m seriously afraid of what if I live past my means and end up on the street due to losing my home pay for health care or worse…
Single Mother Retired 33.4 yr Autoworker
General Motor’s
Absolutely correct. Spot on 👍
RIGHT!! I TOTALLY AGREE!!
You are soooo RIGHT!!
I agree with Glenda Glover……
Hi there, We all should be great full that you get it.
I know that there is a some homeless don’t get any
think.
I am permanently disabled and receiving retirement SSA. Like this lady says if I retired full retirement age 67 and SS took me off Social Security Disability and put me on retirement status, what did I gain if the groceries & utilities are now extremely high. I’m 74, when I was 67 I was on disability social security, my total bill for groceries & utilities was $189/mo. now almost 10 years later my grocery & utilities bill is $350.00/month. At this rate I will be forced to work in something while permanently disabled/retired. So this lady is right. Who can survive on an only one income of $1216/month. If my living situations were not the way they are help for housing from HUD I would be homeless. Example at the end of October my budget did not supply extra money for my dentures so I had to reach out for help from my family to help me with $1800 extra dollars for me to be able to eat chew my food. This has been going on for 2 years. Loss of teeth and not chewing my food brought on stomach colitus. This is the American way of life after working and paying taxes from 2 jobs almost 37 years. As a single parent today a young woman canot make it without the help of public housing and welfare assistance in California the most expensive living State in America. Now you know the population of homelessness and poverty in California.
That’s so dam true, we work hard for are money to have 8 taken by the government, just no right.
True
Depends on what your premiums and SSI amounts are. The standard Part B premium of $135.50 per month in 2019 is projected to increase to $144.30 per month in 2020. Average SSI increases from $1479 to $1503 per month. Medicare increases $8.80 and SSI increases $24 per month, so the aveerage retiree is ahead $15 per month. Better than a poke in the eye.
SSA was never designed to be a primary source of income. People should save more.
You can blame the govetment if u wish for the loss of COLA raises but it would be more acc urate to blame the run away costs levied by the health care system in this country. They are totally out of control!
So I can work and collect my SSD for how many years can I work while I’m on SSD?
I have more than work credits for the full social security benefits. Why am I only getting small amount when I have 35 work years for full disability? Is it because my age is not retirement age? I am fully disabled. A raise is no where enough to apartments renting 600 and 700 a month plus electricity bill. Your broke. No clothes no food. Wanting people to give up. Retiring supposed to enjoy your life and time not struggle.
1.) You state that is you are not blind but disabled a person receiving SSDI will receive $1206. A month with a $40. Increase is that a flat rate for SSDI ?? Because I just turned 62 but became disabled in 1997 and all I receive total a month is 717.00 which does not even cover my rent let alone anything else. Unfortunatly, I also live in Arizona, which is rated 49th out 0f 50 states as the worst to live in for help with housing ECT. For Seniors and other low income people. There simply is none and I have spent 3 years calling every number given to me for resources!
Ok don’t understand how you can state that only 6 Percent of people exceed $137,700. A year but yet we have more Billionaires than ever before !
We middle class hard working US citizens STILL are PENALIZED for trying to be self
sufficent and being able to have some kind of retirement stability, but, continue to be the bearers of picking up the tab for those
who scam the system and they sit back and laugh having contributed NOTHING…
Medicare premiums are discriminatory!
The govn needs to quit ying to the public
that certain segment can get FREE cell phones, look at your phone federal excise tax…middle class pays for this, but, middle
class cannot take advantage of any of what they pay for the so called “disadvantaged”
I would like to here how the government expects someone to live off of $771. A month when there is nothing else offered ?
People making over 137,000 a year should pay triple into SS
Government workers as a whole are guaranteed to make more than a more risky free enterprise (small business) individual. President Reagan attacked big government, meaning highly paid, top heavy pay raise for those workers. Higy paid Federal emplyees and military stifle free enterprise. those sectors risk more. We need to lower those guaranteed wages so that the tax deficit and taxes will move down. Also, the right off by business & Gvt for Honoria and first class perks cost wrie offs should be limited to the coach rate. They could still fly and reside in $300 per night hotels; but not on the back of we the people.
How much earning can I make .if I was on ssi before they take some of my monthly money
Amen to that. They raise you 24.00. Then food stamps deducts that from your benefit, along with my rent increase of 20.00 a month. So that 24.00 increase turns into 44.00 they are taking back. And raising the retirement age…what a crock…Secondly l feel if you collect survivors benefits you should also get be able to receive insurance benefits.
I think you could do better than this for us if you stop giving it away to people who hasn’t paid into it! Non citizens does not deserve our money.
Why is it when SS gives us a raise then Medicare which is the Government takes it right back plus more so why even say yp ur giving us a raise yes u did u raised my butt right off my chair thanks to our WONDERFUL GOVERNMENT. RIGHT WHAT A JOKE TIME FOR A MAJOR CHANGE IN OUR GOVERNMENT I SAY A COMPLETE OVERHAUL.
Is true I went back to work because my income was not enough to support my family of 4 now they send me a letter saying they are closing my benefits from SSA I still suffered from Diabetes H blood pressure back Injuries carpal tunnel syndrome migraine and I went back to work thinking that they were going to help me out I see is not true thank you for u information
We r both disabled one still waiting on disability benefits for one of us. The other recieving a pension and social security, both r 55yrs old. we don’t meet the age requirements for lots of benefits. Not sure financial what r choices r for owning r house , car 401k plan . Not sure how taking social security disability benefits will effect us letter on in life?
Since SSDI will be getting a raise will medicàre go up?
you’re right the government’s been living off the high hog our money. that’s why they keep raising the years they hope we die first before we could collect. and what happens to all the money paid in by people that passed away before they get to retire
Yes. Get increase of $20 but they took $40 from my food stamps which left me with $15 in food stamps. Also my out of pocket for medications increased. Monthly I am down $175 for a $20 raise. Thank you.
This is all I have to say : With cost of living so high, how do you expect us to live. Twenty dollars buys nothing at the grocery store anymore. That doesn’t even include rent and dental or medical bills.
People throw up there hands and are to lazy , to vote these people out of office. We as a people need to make laws and enforce them. Make the system work for the good of the American people. And the people that are stealing money from the system need to be put in jail. Drain to swamp.
What happens if you are drawing widow’s benefit and turning 62 how soon can I draw my husband’s disability and will I be able to get the Widow’s benefit and husband’s disability he is deceased
Every increase they give, gets taken away somewhere else. They say they do the increase to keep up with the cost of living but who can live on $800 a month? Renting a home is more than $1000 even for a studio apartment these days. They have no idea because the ones who make these decisions make over $300,000 a year. Let them try to live 3 months on what they give us. They wouldn’t make it.
All seniors should get at least 150. 00 in food stamps if they do not work or have any other income
Instead of these dead beats that can work and better health care that should go by income too
You cant even live off SSI or Disability and yet you cant work either and they say you make to much money for food stamps that’s worse you work for nothing and you get paid for nothing so you are nothing and the rich keep getting richer and the middle class cant even afford to help anybody and the poor gets poor thank for nothing our government keeps lining their pockets
I am 67 yrs now retired at 62 I am now getting $1,009 every month when I get 70 will I get the Full retirement amount?? My husband died 5yrs ago he was getting Social Security Disability due to a injury, why wasn’t I entitled to half or part of his money??
Glenda Golver is right! Politicians steal more of our hard earned money to line their own pockets! The Government don’t give a damn about the American people! If SSI GIVES US ANY INCREASE THEY WILL TAKE IT AWAY IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER! POLITITIONS SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER THE SAME AMERICAN CITIZENS SUFFER! THEY SHOULD ONLY BE ABLE TO RUN 2 TERMS IN ALL OFFICES. THEY SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR INAURANCE JUST LIKE US WITH PREMIUMS AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET A PENSION. EXPECIALLY A GOLDEN PARACHUTE ONE! THE SHOULD GET A 5% GOVERNMENT MATCH 401K! THIS ALONE WOULD SAVE TAX PAYERS BILLIONS! ALSO THEY SHOULD GET PEFORMANCE RAISES BASED ON HOW WELL THEY SERVE THE PUBLIC AND THEY SHOULD BE VOTED ON ONLY AFTER THEIR FIRST TERM IN OFFICE! IF THEy( HE OR SHE ) do a lousy job after the first term then they will not get reelected! This would eliminate a lot of the BullShit in Government!
It sucks the snentors an Congress pay nothing an obamma an his family r living the the life of luxury
When will they doing the windfall provision to cut our social security
What is ssi increase
Cost of living increase is a big joke. Medicare takes that raise plus more every year. We are forced to pay it plus deductibles. We have worked hard all our lives and paid in to social security because we had no choice. Now the government gets big fat raises and we get our food from food banks.
This is crazy people who worked and receive SSDA get a 1.6 % raise that will equal out to about $24 for most people. Yet people who never worked that receive SSDI get a $40 raise if not blind and $70 for the blind. The working class takes all the hits, this makes no sense.
What is a do over i read about in. social security
I just received my letter yesterday from social security Administration it states Supplemental Security Income it’s say my earnings will be $ 678.00 starting December of this year please explain why this amount and what is supplemental security income mean.
I began receiving Social Security Disability 2008 while deliberating a Workers Comp case. Social Security Disability Benefits were overpaid three times, during a five year period due to retroactive Worker Comp awards. To recoup the overpayments seven years later, Social Security Benefit was seized for 5 months. Medicare was not paid and upon restart of Social Security Benefit, Medicare entered me as a new recepient at $31.00 per month rate increase. Not to mention every $0.50, $0.90, $0.05 piece of change they are legally “entitled” to keep, adding up to millions nationally!
I have both SSD & SSI the coast of living in GA is so hard on SSD & SSI
The cost for medicare premiums is voing up so it is actually a decrease in take home money
Please clarify the full retirement cap on earnings from working.
Let us vote ourselves a $9000.00 raise like congress just did.
That ability has to be taken away.
It should be based on performance as judged by the people ( they are supposed ) they serve.
What about people who don’t work and are on SSI benefits?
Yes, it is sad, very sad, you work all your life, and when you get to be retirement age you still have to worry, no sleep at night, still worrying about bill’s, its awful and scary!
What time do my benefits go back to me? The buckeye state took all of my check and gave me nothing much to live on.. how can or what can I do to get some of it back to me..
Now i Filed for Disability and they gave me a Supplimental Social Security and i get $ 770 months thats not enough to live off u think u could live off $770 months? Then i retired i get $20 increase then $770 then it would be $790 my retired amount and its Champ change bus ride is $2.75 god sake
I filed for disability the gives me supplimental get payed less
How i could change to disability?
I think people’s should be able 2 earn at least 20 to 21,000 a year at least. And somehow find a way 2 work with employers. Because some don’t cooperate. If u cut your hrs. U lose full time benefits.
Just vote Republican the Dems are just falling off the planret with their really insulting to the American people brains were not that dam dumb nancy get legalisation done we the people demand it send Adam S hm hes an embarrassment the the whole country and the world that guy is a joke as far as I’m concerned the Democratic party has fallen off the planet need i say more ???
Im trying to figure out how much would ssi receive in 2020 because I dont think it’s gonna be a real nice amount of a raise
I worked in construction for 35 years and ended up with a bad back and others health issues from wrecking my body working ! I get peanuts for monthly disability $1045.00 a month . (That’s shit thanks to oboma !) Anouthere thing that is not right is the people that get raises that get good money a month like $2-3000.00 get a high ass raise on cola ! And people that get less money get a little ass raise of $10.00 $15.00,that is a bunch of bull shit for low income people ! (A total screw job for low pd people on SSI ! Here we have it in a bit shell,people that have more money get a big raise making them more well off and low pd people struggling ! Like the saying goes the rich stay rich and poor stay poor,that’s been the way it’s been for 100s off years ! The government is crooked as hell along with SSI .(Obama really fucked alot of stuff up for the low income people on SSI,thanks Obama you horse shit president that did nothing good for poor ! All the government affiliated places are crooks and fruads. You all rich fucks never had it rough I am sure or you would think about the poor and help and not just screw them year after year !
Get Republican s out of office and tax the wealthy
You give us this raise but then you find a way to take it back so what are you givivg us nothing really and i never filed for retirement i became disabled before i stopped working so what my retirement is in my social security do you have a clue how hard it is to live off what i get and find ways to take care of my disability not enough to live on
I’m unfortunately see severely disabled and can’t get snap I’m on SSI and I and my worker believe it should be getting it for years. I had an old 40 year’s ago a warrant it has expired however still on.y record I think that’s it I know people who are on parole now and get snap. I really need it for my pain eating habits are important. Please help me with this I need financial help and at least e for groceries. Please help me with this. Thanks Godspeed
My cynthia handley thing is I have went to Dallas texas back in February this year live with my Daughter ok but they half live amount l can not live with that l can pay rent or bill with a 168 dollars a month lam on social security and SSi l get paid on the first and 3rd of the month so I move back to Flint’s Michigan to update my benefit they me six months of payments they said what can do to help ha I want my money right now give me all my money now back pay money now
This is a disgrace and a slap in the face for Senior Citizens who have worked all their lives paid into SSI and live at poverty level ..I say Congress needs to have the same monthly wage as Seniors, and have to pay For Medicare like we do each month ..and co pay and medicine. .They do nothing for the American people .It’s all about illegal immigrants. .I am sick of this BS ..Oh we should be grateful for 40 extra dollars a month ..why ?? Medicare will get it back ..
I AGEEE. THIS INCREASE DOES NOTHING TO HELP US. THIS REALLY SUCKS!
There is somewhat of a misstatement in the article. In the year you REACH full retirement age, $1 in benefits is deducted for every $3 you earn above $48,600 (in 2020) until the actual month you reach full retirement age. Beginning with the month you reach full retirement age, your earnings no longer reduce your benefits, no matter how much you earn. (From the Social Security website).
When I started working full time in 1975 I paid 5.85% in payroll tax up to $13,000 in earnings. 45 years later it is 7.65% to $137,900. The largest ignored tax increase in history. Many of the complainents should request the earnings statement from Social Security and do the math in how much they have gotten out vs. contributed.
SS tax rates have increased to 7.65 in that period, but it’s actually been above 7% since 1984. Moreover, everyone should take a close look at their earnings statement to see what they’ve paid in. I’ve seen many of them, and in most cases, you actually break-even (amount paid in vs paid out) in 8-10 years. So, if you live another 10 – 20 years past that, you’ve more than doubled the amount you actually put in. Sure you could argue if you could’ve invested it, but that’s assuming you didn’t find another use for it along the way.
This group of democratic candidates for 2020 are all about giving out free everything to those who are capable of working, but for those of us who worked our entire lives, they only have higher costs and a pittance of an increase. Aren’t we the largest demographic group now, the baby boomers? We could make a difference if we bind together. Let’s decide these elections and hold them to the fire on better benefits and less taxing of the senior population.
another issue that I am upset about is while continuing to work, i am forced in Medicare because I have a small employer. I have group insurance now that is cost effective but once forced into medicare I will have to pay the $140 plus part D and a supplement out my own pocket.
I will have less coverage that will cost me more at a time we can least afford it. Plus, I will no longer be able the make HSA contributions to pay my out pocket expense before taxes. Are we all getting already for medicare for all? Great, no one on either side seems to understand our real health problems? More government no thanks!
I got my husband’s SS when he died and lost mine to some degree but remember those of you that served our nation in the military you get 100.00 more a month. so check in on that.