20.6% Raise & Back Pay in 2025 – SSA, SSI, SSDI & VA

There’s been a lot of buzz in the U.S. around the so-called 20.6% Raise and Back Pay in 2025 for Social Security, SSI, SSDI, and VA benefits. With COLA updates and legislative changes rolling out, many are confused about where this number is coming from and whether it’s actually happening. Spoiler alert: the 20.6% increase isn’t a new 2025 raise—but it does have roots in recent Social Security adjustments.

Here’s the full breakdown of what’s really happening.

Raise

First, let’s clarify the confusion. There is no new 20.6% COLA hike in 2025. The actual COLA increase for 2025 is 2.5%. So where’s the 20.6% number from? It’s actually a cumulative total of the past four years of COLA adjustments:

Year	COLA Increase
2021	1.3%
2022	5.9%
2023	8.7%
2024	3.2%
2025	2.5%
Total	21.6%

So, the 20.6% figure that’s circulating is based on these combined increases—not a new raise in 2025.

However, some recipients did see a big bump in early 2025 due to a major legislative update, which brings us to the next part.

Act

In early 2025, the Social Security Fairness Act eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These two rules had previously reduced benefits for certain public sector retirees.

With their removal, many affected recipients started receiving:

• Retroactive back pay (lump sum)
• Permanently increased monthly benefits

Depending on individual circumstances, this increase could roughly equal a 20.6% bump—hence the confusion.

Eligibility

Not everyone is getting this raise. To receive the updated benefits, here’s who qualifies:

SSI (Supplemental Security Income):

• Must be 65 or older, blind, or disabled
• Singles must have no more than $2,000 in assets; couples, $3,000
• Monthly income limits:
  • $2,020 from work (individuals), $988 from other sources
  • $2,985 from work (couples), $1,471 from other sources

SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance):

• Must have a long-term, severe disability
• Must meet work credit requirements
• Must not earn more than SSA’s defined income limits for disability

Amounts

Thanks to the 2.5% COLA in 2025, here are the updated payment amounts:

SSI Monthly Payments (2025):

Recipient Type	Monthly Amount
Single Individual	$967
Married Couple	$1,450
Essential Person	$484

SSDI Monthly Payments (2025):

Type	Amount
Average Disabled Worker	$1,580
Average with Dependents	$2,826
Maximum (at Age 70)	$4,018

Schedule

Social Security payments are distributed based on your date of birth. Here’s how it works in 2025:

Date of Birth Range	Payment Day
1st – 10th	2nd Wednesday
11th – 20th	3rd Wednesday
21st – 31st	4th Wednesday

For example:

• Birthdays from 11–20 will get paid on June 18, 2025
• Birthdays from 21–31 will get paid on June 25, 2025

Backpay

Disability Back Pay refers to the lump sum of missed payments you’re owed between when you became eligible and when your benefits started. It usually applies to:

• SSDI: Based on your work and earnings history
• SSI: For those with little to no income and resources

Back pay is issued in a single lump sum with your first check after SSA approval.

The amount depends on when you applied, when your disability began, and how long your approval process took.

You don’t need to delay applying to “earn” more back pay—it’s retroactive.

The truth is, while the 20.6% raise isn’t an official 2025 COLA update, some people have seen that kind of increase due to the WEP and GPO repeal. And if you’re still waiting for your updated check or back pay, it might be worth contacting the SSA directly.

FAQs