Official figures. Everything on this page comes from the Social Security Administration's October 14, 2026 news release, checked October 20, 2026. General information, not financial advice.
The 2027 COLA at a glance
2027 COLA
3.6%
Average retiree raise
~$75/mo
Social Security beneficiaries
~72 million
SSI recipients
~7.3 million
- Social Security benefits: the 3.6% increase begins with benefits in January 2027.
- SSI: increased payments begin on December 31, 2026.
- SSA says the COLA applies to 76 million Americans in total (some people get both Social Security and SSI).
- The COLA is tied by law to the rise in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Estimate your 2027 benefit
What about the Medicare Part B premium?
If Medicare Part B is taken out of your check, your net raise depends on the 2027 premium. As of October 20, 2026, CMS had not published the official 2027 Part B premium, so we don't show one here. SSA says information about Medicare changes for 2027 will be at medicare.gov, and Medicare enrollees can see their 2027 premium in the my Social Security Message Center starting in late November. We'll update this page when CMS publishes it.
When will I see my COLA notice?
- With a personal my Social Security account: online starting in late November. To see it online, create an account and enroll in paperless notices by November 18.
- Without paperless notices: by mail in December.
- SSA says the 2027 notice is a simplified one-page letter with your exact dates and dollar amounts.
Budget the raise before it arrives
- Write down your new monthly amount once your notice comes, and use it, not the old one, from January.
- Decide now where the extra goes: a bill that went up, savings, or a sinking fund for yearly costs.
- Paid once a month? List every bill by due date so nothing lands before your payment date. The free paycheck budget calculator works with monthly income too.