If you’ve been claiming Social Security benefits for more than a few months, you saw your checks increase by 2.5% at the start of the year thanks to the 2025 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). This only added about $49 to the average monthly benefit, but you may have gotten more if you had above-average checks to begin with.
Most Social Security beneficiaries will have to wait until January 2026 for their next benefit increase. But if you find yourself in one of the three situations below, you could be in for some extra money yet this year.
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1. Social Security Fairness Act implementation
Former President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law during his final days in office. The law removed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), both of which limited benefits for seniors who receive a pension from an employer not covered by Social Security as well as family members who claim on these individuals’ work records.
The Social Security Fairness Act applies to all benefits after December 2023, which means that in addition to a monthly benefit increase set to take effect for most affected seniors in April, many will also receive a one-time retroactive payment. This could appear in your account before the end of this month.
Not everyone will notice a change, though. You should receive a notice from the Social Security Administration if this law affected you. If your benefit will increase in April, it will also tell you the amount of the increase.
Workers affected by the WEP will see an average boost of $360 per month while spouses affected by the GPO will see an average of $700 more per month. Widow(er)s will see the largest average increase at $1,190 per month.
2. Reaching your full retirement age (FRA) if you had money withheld due to the earnings test
The Social Security earnings test withholds benefits from some seniors if they claim checks while working. This only applies to those under full retirement age (FRA). This is 67 for most workers today.
In 2025, you lose $1 in annual benefits for every $2 you earn over $23,400 if you’re under FRA all year. Those who reach FRA in 2025 can earn up to $62,160 before having $1 withheld for every $3 they earn over this amount, assuming they earn that much before their birthday. In past years, these thresholds were lower.
Fortunately, money lost to the earnings test comes back to you when you reach your FRA. The government increases your benefit at this time to make up for what it withheld before. If you’ll reach your FRA this year, you may see an increase to your benefit, though probably not until the month after your birthday. That’s because the Social Security Administration pays benefits in the month after they’re due. For example, a June benefit goes out in July.
3. Claiming a spousal benefit if your spouse recently applied for Social Security
Married individuals who qualify for Social Security retirement benefits could also be eligible for spousal benefits if their partner qualifies for retirement benefits. You don’t get to add both benefits together, though. The Social Security Administration automatically pays you the larger of the two benefits, but you can’t get a spousal benefit until your partner applies.
One popular strategy among couples with major income disparities is for the lower earner to claim Social Security as soon as they can. This enables the higher earner to delay their application, which boosts their checks a little each month until they qualify for their maximum benefit at 70. Then, when the higher-earning spouse applies, the lower-earning spouse can request a change to a spousal benefit if it’s worth more than what they’re currently receiving.
This may not apply to you, but if it does, you may see an increase in your monthly checks after your spouse signs up. But you might have to contact the Social Security Administration directly to request this change.
If none of those three things apply to you, you’ll probably have to wait until January to see your benefits grow any further. So plan to keep your checks as is for the time being.
