Can an individual's Social Security benefit change over time?

The reason why an individual's Social Security benefit can change over time is primarily due to cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and potential changes in earnings that affect benefit calculations. Social Security benefits are usually indexed to inflation, which means they are adjusted periodically to maintain purchasing power. This adjustment ensures that as the cost of living increases, benefits are also raised accordingly.

Moreover, if an individual continues to work and earns additional income after beginning to receive Social Security benefits, their overall benefits may be recalculated based on those new earnings, potentially leading to an increase in their benefits. This dynamic nature of benefits, influenced by both inflation and work history, allows for variability over time, making the answer accurate.