Nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2027 was announced by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Increased payments to about 7.3 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2026 .
Social Security benefits include Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by $75 per month.“Social Security will implement this cost-of-living adjustment for 76 million Americans, giving them greater financial stability,” said SSA Commissioner, Frank J. Bisignano.
Individuals with personal my Social Security accounts can view their COLA notice online starting in late November—up to three weeks earlier than receiving a paper notice in the mail. Individuals who do not have a personal account will need to create one and enroll in paperless notices by November 18 to see their COLA notice online. Create an account today at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
Individuals who have not enrolled in paperless notices in my Social Security will receive their COLA notice by mail in December. Social Security beneficiaries will receive a simplified, one-page COLA notice, which uses plain and personalized language, and provides exact dates and dollar amounts of an individual’s new benefit amount and any deductions.
HOW IS COLA CALCULATED? The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) as determined by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. For additional information, visit www.ssa.gov/cola. The COLA 2027 Fact Sheet shows an easy-to-understand overview of all the various automatic adjustments for 2027.
MEDICARE 2027 CHANGES? Information about Medicare changes for 2027 will be available at www.medicare.gov. For Medicare enrollees, the 2027 premium amount will be available via my Social Security Message Center starting in late November. Individuals who have not opted to receive messages online will receive their COLA notice by mail in December.
Source: SSA Press Release, October 14, 2026, Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Inrease for 2027