The increase begins with January Social Security benefits. SSI recipients will receive their first adjusted payment Dec. 31, 2026, and individual benefit notices will be available beginning in late November.
By Hola America News
Social Security benefits will increase by 3.6% in 2027, adding an estimated $75 per month to the average retirement benefit, the Social Security Administration announced Oct. 14, 2026.
The cost-of-living adjustment, known as COLA, will begin with January 2027 benefits for nearly 72 million Social Security recipients. About 7.3 million people receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will begin receiving increased payments on Dec. 31, 2026.
The increase applies nationwide to Social Security retirement, disability and survivor benefits, as well as SSI.
The $75 figure is an average increase for retired workers, not a fixed payment or bonus. Each person’s adjustment will depend on their existing benefit amount, and deductions can affect how much reaches their bank account.
Average Social Security retirement benefits will rise from $2,095 to $2,170
The Social Security Administration estimates that the average monthly benefit for retired workers will increase from $2,095 to $2,170 after the 2027 adjustment.
For workers receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the estimated average monthly benefit will rise from $1,642 to $1,701, an increase of $59.
Because the COLA is calculated as a percentage, the dollar amount will vary according to each person’s benefit.
For example, applying a 3.6% increase to a monthly benefit of $1,500 would add approximately $54, bringing it to $1,554. A $2,000 benefit would rise by about $72 to $2,072, while a $2,500 benefit would increase by about $90 to $2,590.
These are illustrative calculations before any applicable deductions, not individualized benefit estimates from the Social Security Administration.
SSI payments will increase Dec. 31, with new federal maximums for 2027
SSI recipients will receive their first payment reflecting the 2027 COLA on Dec. 31, 2026, ahead of the January Social Security benefit payments.
The maximum federal SSI payment for an eligible individual will increase from $994 per month in 2026 to $1,029 in 2027. For an eligible couple, the federal maximum will rise from $1,491 to $1,544.
Those figures represent federal maximum payment amounts, not guaranteed benefits for every SSI recipient. Individual payments depend on factors including countable income and living arrangements. Some states also provide supplemental payments.
The December increase is separate from the SSI payment scheduled for Oct. 30, 2026. That October deposit is the regular November benefit arriving early because Nov. 1 falls on a Sunday. It does not include the 2027 COLA.
Related: Social Security October 2026: Who gets paid Oct. 21 and 28, and why SSI pays Oct. 30
Personalized COLA notices will be available online in late November
Most beneficiaries will be able to see their personalized 2027 COLA notice in the Message Center of their my Social Security account beginning in late November 2026.
People who do not yet have an account must create one and enroll in paperless notices by Nov. 18, 2026, to receive their COLA notice online. Beneficiaries who have not chosen electronic notices will receive their information by mail in December.
The notice will show the individual’s new benefit amount, payment date and applicable deductions.
For beneficiaries who have Medicare premiums deducted from Social Security, the increase in their gross benefit may differ from the change in their monthly deposit. Personalized COLA notices will show the updated benefit amount and deductions, including Medicare premiums when applicable.
The 3.6% adjustment is based on consumer price changes
Social Security calculates its annual COLA using changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W, as determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The 2027 increase reflects changes in that index between the third quarter of 2025 and the third quarter of 2026.
The adjustment is automatic. Eligible recipients do not need to submit a separate application to receive the COLA.
The Social Security Administration’s 2027 COLA information confirms the new payment amounts and dates. Personalized notices will become available online in late November and will be mailed in December to recipients who have not enrolled in paperless notices.
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