Money & Medicare · Social Security
Social Security 2027 Raise: What the COLA Means for Your Check
By OakMan Guide Editorial Team Updated 8 min read
The short answer
Social Security benefits rise 3.6% in 2027, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced. The raise starts with December 2026 benefits, paid in January 2027. To estimate your new check, multiply your current benefit by 1.036. Medicare's Part B premium is usually taken out of the same check, so your net raise depends on that premium.
We're not financial advisers, tax professionals or Social Security representatives, and this is not financial or tax advice. Your own benefit, income and Medicare plan set your numbers, so check your SSA notice.
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The raise is the easy part: a percentage, announced by SSA, applied to your benefit. The harder question is how much of it you will see in the deposit. This is how the number is built and what can move it.
How big is the 2027 Social Security raise?
It is 3.6%. SSA says Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for 76 million Americans go up by that amount in 2027. The raise reaches nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2027 and about 7.3 million SSI recipients, and some people get both.
The official name is the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. It is automatic: SSA says it has been applied by law since 1975, and you do not have to apply for it.
How does SSA figure the COLA?
SSA compares the average of a price index called the CPI-W, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the third quarter of this year with the same average from the last year that had a COLA. This time that was the third quarter of 2025. If the index does not rise, there is no COLA.
| Month | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| July | 316.349 | 327.104 |
| August | 317.306 | 328.481 |
| September | 318.139 | 330.654 |
| Third-quarter average | 317.265 | 328.746 |
The math, as SSA shows it: (328.746 − 317.265) ÷ 317.265 × 100 = 3.6%, rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent.
How do I work out my new Social Security check?
Multiply your monthly benefit by 1.036. Start from the full amount, the one before anything is taken out. These are examples, not your numbers:
| Benefit now | After a 3.6% raise | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $1,500 | $1,554 | +$54 |
| $2,000 | $2,072 | +$72 |
| $2,500 | $2,590 | +$90 |
Your own figure is on your my Social Security account, and the notice will show the final amount. Use the math above to plan, and the notice to confirm.
When will I see the new amount?
Three dates matter, all from SSA:
- Late November 2026: the online notice appears in the Message Center of your my Social Security account, for people who created the account by November 18, 2026.
- December 2026: the notice with your new amount is mailed.
- January 2027: the first check with the raise. SSA says it starts with the benefits for December 2026, which are paid in January 2027. SSI payments rise earlier, with the increase beginning December 31, 2026.
Will Medicare Part B take part of the raise?
It can, because the two arrive in the same place. Medicare.gov says that if you get Social Security, your Part B premium is deducted automatically from your monthly benefit, as long as the benefit covers it. If it does not cover the whole premium, you get a bill from Medicare for the rest. People who do not get Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits are billed directly.
The 2026 standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month, and the deductible is $283 a year, per Medicare.gov. As of November 2, 2026, that page still showed the 2026 amount, so there is no 2027 premium to quote yet. People with higher incomes pay more, and the page lists the income brackets.
Here is how it works, using the $2,000 check from above and the 2026 premium as the starting point. The premium changes in these rows are made-up steps to show the mechanism, not a forecast:
| If the Part B premium... | Check with 3.6% raise | Part B premium | Check after Part B | Gain from the raise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium stays the same | $2,072.00 | $202.90 | $1,869.10 | +$72.00 |
| Premium goes up $10 | $2,072.00 | $212.90 | $1,859.10 | +$62.00 |
| Premium goes up $20 | $2,072.00 | $222.90 | $1,849.10 | +$52.00 |
Each dollar the premium rises comes out of the raise, dollar for dollar. When the 2027 premium is posted, subtract it from your new benefit and you have your real number. The Medicare Open Enrollment guide covers the plan choices that run until December 7.
Can the raise make my benefits taxable?
It can. The IRS says your benefits are not taxable unless the sum of your modified adjusted gross income plus one half of your benefits is more than the base amount for your filing status. A bigger benefit makes that sum bigger. If part of your benefit is taxable, you can ask for tax to be withheld from the check, using Form W-4V, or pay estimated tax during the year.
You get a Form SSA-1099 by early February with the benefits paid in the prior year. The IRS page points to Publication 915 and its worksheet to figure the taxable part.
What else changes in 2027?
SSA also raises two earnings limits for people who work while collecting. It lifts the taxable maximum too, the ceiling on yearly earnings that are subject to the Social Security tax, to $192,300.
| Earnings limit | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings limit below full retirement age | $24,480 | $25,560 |
| Earnings limit in the year you reach full retirement age | $65,160 | $67,920 |
The SSA earnings-limit page explains that below full retirement age SSA deducts $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit, and in the year you reach full retirement age $1 for every $3 above it, counting only the earnings before the month you reach it. From the month you reach full retirement age, earnings no longer reduce your benefit. The full picture of the ages is in our Money and Medicare After 50 guide.
What should I do before January?
- Open your my Social Security account. The online notice is the first place the new amount appears.
- Write down your current benefit. Multiply by 1.036 for an estimate.
- Watch the Medicare costs page. When the 2027 Part B premium is posted, subtract it from the new benefit.
- Check the mailed notice in December. It has the exact figure.
- Call with questions. For 2027 Medicare information, SSA points to Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Social Security COLA for 2027?
SSA says Social Security and SSI benefits rise 3.6% in 2027. It is based on the rise in the CPI-W from the third quarter of 2025 to the third quarter of 2026.
When does the 2027 raise start?
The 3.6% starts with benefits for December 2026, which are paid in January 2027, according to SSA. SSI payments rise earlier: the increase begins December 31, 2026, because January 1 is a holiday.
How do I figure my new Social Security amount?
Multiply your current monthly benefit by 1.036. A $2,000 benefit becomes $2,072. SSA will send the exact new amount in its own notice, so treat your math as an estimate until it arrives.
Will I have to apply for the raise?
No. SSA says the COLA has been automatic since 1975. You will get a notice with the new amount.
Will Medicare Part B take part of my raise?
It can. Medicare.gov says that if you get Social Security, your Part B premium is usually taken out of your monthly benefit automatically, so the premium and the raise land in the same check. The 2026 standard premium is $202.90 a month, and the 2027 amount was not on Medicare.gov as of November 2, 2026.
What is the Medicare Part B premium for 2027?
Medicare.gov still listed the 2026 premium of $202.90 a month on November 2, 2026, so we are not giving a 2027 figure here. When the new amount is posted, it will appear on the Medicare costs page.
Is the raise taxable?
It can be. The IRS says your benefits are not taxable unless the sum of your modified adjusted gross income plus half of your benefits is more than the base amount for your filing status. A bigger benefit adds to that sum.
What if I still work and collect Social Security?
SSA raises the earnings limits for 2027. Below full retirement age the limit is $25,560, and SSA deducts $1 for every $2 above it. In the year you reach full retirement age it is $67,920, with $1 deducted for every $3 above it. After that there is no limit.
Sources we checked for this article
- SSA: COLA Information for 2027 (page text checked November 2, 2026)
- SSA: Latest Cost-of-Living Adjustment (CPI-W calculation) (page text checked November 2, 2026)
- SSA: Receiving Benefits While Working (page text checked November 2, 2026)
- Medicare.gov: Medicare costs (read November 2, 2026)
- Medicare.gov: How to pay Part A and Part B premiums (read November 2, 2026)
- IRS: Topic no. 423, Social Security and equivalent Railroad Retirement benefits (page reviewed October 7, 2026)