The 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is official: benefits are increasing by 3.6%. The Social Security Administration says the change will affect roughly 76 million people receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). For the average retired worker, the increase is about $75 per month beginning in January 2027. The exact dollar amount depends on the benefit you currently receive, and the amount deposited into your account can also be affected by Medicare premiums or other deductions.

That makes the 2027 COLA more than a headline number. Retirees, disabled workers, survivors and SSI recipients need to know how the increase is calculated, when the new amount arrives and how to check their personal notice. Here is what the SSA has confirmed so far, including the November deadline for people who want to see their notice online.

How much is the 2027 Social Security COLA increase?

The 2027 Social Security COLA is 3.6%, according to the SSA announcement issued October 14, 2026. The adjustment is designed to help benefits keep pace with inflation. By law, Social Security’s annual COLA is based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), comparing the third quarter of the current year with the third quarter of the previous year.

The SSA estimates that the average monthly retirement benefit will rise by about $75. Its 2027 fact sheet estimates the average retired-worker benefit at $2,095 before the adjustment and $2,170 after it. That is an average, not a guaranteed increase for every person. A beneficiary receiving a smaller check will generally see a smaller dollar increase; someone receiving a larger benefit will generally see a larger one.

For a quick illustration, a 3.6% increase adds about $36 to a $1,000 monthly benefit, $54 to a $1,500 benefit, $72 to a $2,000 benefit and $108 to a $3,000 benefit. These are simple estimates before any deductions or individual rounding. Your official COLA notice—not a calculator or a national average—will show your exact new gross benefit.

Current monthly benefit	Estimated 3.6% increase	New estimated benefit
$1,000	$36	$1,036
$1,500	$54	$1,554
$2,000	$72	$2,072
$2,095	About $75	About $2,170
$3,000	$108	$3,108

SSI recipients are also included. The 2027 federal SSI payment standard rises to $1,029 per month for an eligible individual and $1,544 for an eligible couple, according to the SSA fact sheet. Those are federal base payment standards; an individual’s actual SSI payment can differ because of income, living arrangements, state supplements and other eligibility rules.

One important distinction: the COLA increases the benefit amount before certain deductions. A Medicare Part B premium, tax withholding, overpayment recovery or another authorized deduction can affect the net amount that reaches a bank account. That is why the increase in a person’s deposit may not match the simple 3.6% calculation exactly. For related money guidance, see The Immortal Times’ explainers on Treasury yields and the factors that affect your credit score.

When will the 2027 Social Security and SSI payments increase?

For most people receiving Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits, the 3.6% COLA first appears in the benefit payable in January 2027. The date a person receives that payment depends on the regular Social Security payment schedule, which is generally based on the beneficiary’s birth date or, for some long-time beneficiaries, a different established schedule. The COLA does not mean everyone receives a deposit on January 1.

SSI follows a different calendar. The higher SSI payment is scheduled to begin on December 31, 2026, because January 1 is a federal holiday. This is the advance payment for January 2027, not an extra bonus check. People who receive both Social Security and SSI may see the two programs’ adjustments on different dates.

The SSA says people with a personal my Social Security account can view their COLA notice online starting in late November. Beneficiaries who want to receive the notice electronically should create an account and enroll in paperless notices by November 18, 2026. The agency says people who have not enrolled in paperless notices will receive their COLA notice by mail during December.

The online notice is useful because it gives the recipient’s personalized new benefit amount and deductions. Do not rely on an average benefit increase or a payment estimate circulating on social media when planning bills. Wait for the individual notice and check the amount against the deposit when the updated benefit begins.

For official timing and account instructions, use the SSA’s 2027 COLA announcement and its COLA frequently asked questions. Avoid links in unsolicited texts or emails that claim to unlock a benefit increase; go directly to SSA.gov or sign in through your saved official account route.

What else is changing for Social Security in 2027?

The COLA is the biggest headline, but several other Social Security figures are also changing in 2027. The maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll tax—the taxable maximum—rises from $184,500 in 2026 to $192,300 in 2027. This limit affects workers whose earnings are above the cap; it does not mean every worker pays Social Security tax on all income without a limit.

The annual earnings test limits also increase. A worker who is younger than full retirement age throughout 2027 can earn up to $25,560 before the retirement earnings test withholds benefits; the limit is $67,920 for someone reaching full retirement age during 2027, applying to earnings in the months before reaching that age. These are withholding rules, not a permanent loss of all benefits: the SSA adjusts benefits at full retirement age to account for months in which benefits were withheld.

Other 2027 figures in the SSA fact sheet include a maximum monthly retirement benefit of $4,188 for a worker retiring at full retirement age, compared with $4,152 in 2026. The SSI federal payment standard increases to $1,029 for an individual and $1,544 for a couple. Actual benefit eligibility and payment amounts depend on a person’s work record, age, income and program rules, so these headline figures should not be treated as a personal estimate.

The bottom line: the 2027 Social Security COLA is confirmed at 3.6%, with the main Social Security increase beginning in January and the higher SSI payment scheduled for December 31, 2026. The average retired worker is expected to receive about $75 more per month, but the exact increase varies. Check your own my Social Security notice, review any deductions and use the SSA’s 2027 COLA fact sheet for the full list of official figures. The agency’s COLA information page is the best place to verify future updates.

Sources: Social Security Administration: 2027 benefit increase announcement; SSA: 2027 COLA fact sheet; SSA: Effect of COLA on average Social Security benefits; SSA: 2027 COLA FAQs.