Many people believe that Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries will receive a one-time $600 increase in their payments in August 2025, based on a rumor circulating on social media.
Despite its popularity online, the claim is not supported by any official policy or announcement from the Social Security Administration.
The SSA has been clear that no such mid-year increase is planned, and that the only adjustment to SSI benefits this year was the standard cost of living increase, which went into effect in January.
In January 2025, the SSA added a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment to both Social Security and SSI payments. This COLA increased the maximum monthly federal payment for individuals to $967 and eligible couples to $1,450.
For most people, that increase translates to about $24 more per month, which adds up to a few hundred dollars in extra income over the course of a year. It does not imply a $600 bonus at any time during the year.
Why the $600 rumor spread so quickly
Much of the misinformation appears to be based on a misunderstanding of how COLA calculations work. Some viral posts appear to conflate the annualized total of a COLA increase with a lump-sum payout.
For example, an individual receiving $2,000 per month in Social Security retirement benefits would receive about $50 more per month with a 2.5 percent COLA, for a total of approximately $600 over the course of a year.
The figures for SSI are even smaller due to the lower base payment. None of this equates to a separate $600 check arriving in August.
The SSA’s payment schedule also helps to dispel the myth. SSI benefits are paid on the first of each month, or the preceding business day if the first falls on a weekend or holiday.
August 2025 will follow the same pattern, with beneficiaries receiving their regular monthly payment, which includes the COLA applied in January. There are no additional changes planned for mid-year.
The 2.5 percent COLA is based on the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, which was calculated using the previous year’s third quarter data.
This is the standard method by which the Social Security Administration adjusts benefits to reflect inflation, and it applies to all Social Security retirement, disability, and SSI benefits.
The adjustment went into effect at the beginning of 2025 and will remain in place until the next COLA is determined for 2026.
