Biggest Social Security Boost In A Generation: 5 Things To Know

WASHINGTON, DC — Those on Social Security will receive a 5.9 percent increase in benefits in 2022 — the largest boost in a generation.

The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, is the biggest in 39 years. It amounts to about $92 a month more for the average worker, according to the government. By comparison, Social Security COLA increases have averaged 1.7 percent over the last decade.

For many, Social Security checks are their lifeline. One-quarter of recipients rely on Social Security checks for all or most of their income.

Here are five key things to know about the Social Security increases:

Who is affected by the Social Security boost?

About 70 million people, including those on Social Security, disabled veterans and federal retirees.

How much higher will my Social Security benefits be?

The 5.9 percent increase equates to about $92 a month for the average worker, whose payment will rise to $1,657 a month in 2022. An average couple's benefits will rise $154 to $2,753, according to The Associated Press.

What are retirees saying?

That even with the boost, it can be hard to live on Social Security alone.

“It goes pretty quickly,” retiree Cliff Rumsey told The Associated Press. He lives in near Hilton Head Island in South Carolina and has a wife with Alzheimer's. He said he's noticed that items such as food, hygiene products and caregiver costs have all gotten more expensive.

What's the state of Social Security?

In August, the Social Security Board of Trustees released a report that found the program will be insolvent by 2034 and only able to make 76 percent of scheduled payments.

Democratic U.S. Rep. John Larson of Connecticut is worried. He wrote a bill to raise payroll taxes to make up for Social Security shortfalls.

“This one-time shot of COLA is not the antidote,” Larson told The Associated Press.

What can I do to save for retirement?

Invest in your company's 401(k) or contribute to an IRA or Roth IRA, according to financial experts.