What VA, DC Should Expect In Social Security Payments In 2020

WASHINGTON, DC — If you think your Social Security retirement payments are too low, you may want to avoid complaining to people in Louisiana, who will receive less money than people in any other state in 2020.

Residents of Louisiana are expected to receive $1,423.08 monthly, or $17,076.96 for the full year, according to a study by MoneyWise.com.

By comparison, people in Virginia are slated to get $1,574.00 a month on average, or $18,888 in Social Security benefits for the year. In the District, residents are expected to get $1,476.07 a month on average, or $17,712.84 in benefits per year.

The study used the most current data from the Social Security Administration to calculate the average monthly and annual payments that retirees can expect to collect in each state during the new year, according to MoneyWise. The results factor in the 1.6 percent cost-of-living raise that took effect Jan. 1.

Social Security beneficiaries in New Jersey will receive the largest amounts from the retirement system in 2020, averaging about $20,264 over the course of the year, according to MoneyWise.

“It's reasonable to conclude that smaller average benefit amounts are found in states with lower overall incomes and economic pressures that cause seniors to pull the trigger on Social Security at earlier ages,” Doug Whiteman, MoneyWise editor-in-chief, said in a news release.

MoneyWise finds these are the five states where retirees stand to collect the most from Social Security this year, on average:

1. New Jersey: $1,688.66 monthly, $20,263.92 for the full year
2. Connecticut: $1,683.52 monthly, $20,202.24 for the full year
3. Delaware: $1,654.54 monthly, $19,854.48 for the full year
4. New Hampshire: $1,635.82 monthly, $19,629.84 for the full year
5. Michigan: $1,620.13 monthly, $19,441.56 for the full year

In these five states, Social Security recipients can expect the smallest average amounts in 2020.

1. Louisiana: $1,423.08 monthly, $17,076.96 for the full year
2. Mississippi: $1,430.12 monthly, $17,161.44 for the full year
3. Maine: $1,432.06 monthly, $17,184.72 for the full year
4. New Mexico: $1,439.43 monthly, $17,273.16 for the full year
5. Montana: $1,448.33 monthly, $17,379.96 for the full year

The Social Security Administration estimates the average retired worker nationwide will receive $1,503 per month in 2019. MoneyWise finds that benefits will be below average in 20 states and the District of Columbia. They'll be above the national average in the other 30 states.

How MoneyWise.com conducted its study can be found here.

See a ranking of the states, going from the smallest 2020 benefits to the largest.