Your Social Security Check Is Going Up in 2027: Here's What to Know

Good news for millions of retirees: the wait is over.

Social Security and SSI payments for 76 million Americans will rise 3.6 percent in 2027.

The Big Number

The Social Security Administration (SSA) says the average retirement benefit will go up by about $75 a month.

The 3.6% COLA is the largest increase since 2023.

It's also the sixth year in a row that the COLA has been at least 2.5%.

What Is a COLA?

COLA stands for cost-of-living adjustment.

It is meant to keep the purchasing power of Social Security and SSI benefits from being eroded by inflation.

How Is It Calculated?

The calculation uses the percentage rise in the CPI-W, a price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers.

It compares the third quarter of last year with the third quarter of this year.

If prices don't rise, there is no COLA.

When Will You See More Money?

• Social Security: The 3.6% increase starts with benefits payable to nearly 72 million beneficiaries in January 2027.
• SSI: Increased payments to about 7.3 million SSI recipients begin on December 31, 2026.

The SSA will mail COLA notices to beneficiaries through the end of the year.

What the Increase Looks Like

The SSA's fact sheet shows these average monthly benefits before and after the 3.6% COLA:

• All retired workers: $2,095 to $2,170
• Aged couple, both receiving benefits: $3,238 to $3,355
• Widowed mother and two children: $3,932 to $4,074
• Aged widow(er) alone: $1,936 to $2,005

Why Is It Bigger This Year?

Fox Business reports that higher energy prices helped push the figure up, following the outbreak of the Iran war.

The COLA was 3.2% in 2024, 2.5% in 2025 and 2.8% in 2026.

A Quick Reality Check

A higher COLA doesn't always mean a bigger take-home increase.

Medicare premiums are typically deducted from Social Security checks, so they can take a chunk of the raise.

That point comes from a Motley Fool piece on the 2026 COLA, so check the 2027 Medicare premium before estimating your net raise.

References

1. Social Security Administration. "Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2027." Published October 14, 2026. https://www.ssa.gov/blog/en/posts/2026-10-14.html
2. Social Security Administration. "Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Information for 2027." Date not listed. https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/cola/index.html
3. Social Security Administration. "2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Fact Sheet." Date not listed. https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/cola/factsheets/2027.html
4. CNBC. "Social Security Administration announces 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for 2027." Published October 14, 2026. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/14/social-security-cola-2027.html
5. Fox Business. "Social Security announces 3.6% COLA for 2027." Published October 2026 (exact date not listed). https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/social-security-announces-cost-of-living-adjustment-2027
6. Nexstar / The Hill. "The 2027 Social Security COLA is here: When will benefits increase?" Published October 2026 (exact date not listed). https://thehill.com/business/personal-finance/6147880-the-2027-social-security-cola-is-here-when-will-benefits-increase/
7. Yahoo Finance. "Social Security COLA for 2027: How to find out how much more you'll get." Published October 2026 (exact date not listed). https://finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/investing/article/social-security-cola-for-2027-how-to-find-out-how-much-more-youll-get-133752779.html
8. The Motley Fool. "Social Security 2026 COLA announced, fall short." Published October 13, 2025. https://www.fool.com/retirement/2025/10/13/social-security-2026-cola-announced-fall-short