Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits go up 3.6% for 2027. The Social Security Administration announced the COLA on October 14, 2026 [1]. About 72 million Social Security beneficiaries and about 7.3 million people who get SSI will see it [1].
At a glance
- 2027 COLA
- 3.6% [1]
- Average retirement benefit
- Up about $75 a month [1]
- Social Security increase starts
- January 2027 [1]
- SSI increase starts
- December 31, 2026 [1]
- 2026 COLA, for comparison
- 2.8% [2]
Estimate your new benefit
2027 COLA calculator
Applies the 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment and rounds down to the dime, as Social Security does. Your COLA notice shows your exact amount, including any change in your Medicare Part B premium.
When the increase shows up
- Social Security: your first payment at the new amount comes in January 2027, on your usual payment day [1].
- SSI: the increase starts with the payment dated December 31, 2026, which is January’s SSI payment paid early because January 1 is a holiday [1].
- People who get both: each benefit rises on its own schedule above.
Your COLA notice
Social Security sends every beneficiary a notice with the new amount [1].
- Online: notices start appearing in late November for people with a my Social Security account who chose online notices. That’s up to three weeks earlier than paper [1].
- By mail: everyone else gets a paper notice in December [1].
- To see yours online this year, SSA said you needed to create an account and opt in to paperless notices by November 18 [1].
How the COLA is set
The law ties the COLA to the rise in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of one year to the third quarter of the next [3]. If prices don’t rise, there’s no COLA, but benefits don’t go down.
Related
- 2026 federal poverty guidelines: the income levels many benefit programs use.
Sources
Common questions
What is the Social Security COLA for 2027?
3.6%. The Social Security Administration announced it on October 14, 2026.
When will I see the 2027 increase?
Social Security beneficiaries see it starting in January 2027. People who get SSI see it in the payment dated December 31, 2026.
How much will my check go up?
Multiply your current monthly benefit by 1.036 and round down to the dime. Retirement benefits rise about $75 a month on average. Your COLA notice gives your exact amount.