Social Security Benefits Rise 3.6 Percent in 2027: What the Raise Means for You

A Bigger Raise Is on the Way for Retirees

Social Security announced on October 14 that benefits will rise 3.6 percent in 2027. This yearly increase is called a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, and it is meant to help benefits keep up with rising prices. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will go up by $75 a month.

Nearly 72 million people who collect Social Security will see the higher amount starting with the benefits they receive in January 2027. About 7.3 million people who get Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, will see their increase sooner. SSI is a separate monthly payment for people who have little or no income or resources and who are 65 or older, blind or disabled.

The higher SSI payment begins on December 31, 2026. That is the January payment, which always comes at the end of December because January 1 is a holiday. Some people receive both kinds of benefits, so the total number of Americans getting a raise comes to about 76 million.

“Social Security will implement this cost-of-living adjustment for 76 million Americans, giving them greater financial stability,” said Frank J. Bisignano, the commissioner of Social Security. “Under President Donald J. Trump, Social Security is delivering better, faster, higher-quality service for the American people.”

What the Raise Looks Like in Average Benefits

Social Security's 2027 fact sheet estimates how average monthly benefits will change in January 2027. These are averages, so your own amount may be higher or lower:

• All retired workers: from $2,095 to $2,170 a month
• A retired couple, both receiving benefits: from $3,238 to $3,355 a month
• A widow or widower living alone: from $1,936 to $2,005 a month

How This Raise Compares With Recent Years

This is the largest raise since 2023. Benefits went up 2.8 percent in 2026, 2.5 percent in 2025 and 3.2 percent in 2024. In 2023 they rose 8.7 percent, after a surge in prices the year before.

The amount is set by a formula written into the Social Security Act. Each year, the agency averages a Department of Labor price index called the CPI-W over July, August and September. This year it compared that average with the one for the same three months of 2025. The percentage rise, rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent, becomes the raise.

When You Will See Your New Benefit Amount

Every person who gets benefits will receive a simple, one-page notice that shows the exact dates and dollar amounts of their new benefit and any deductions. Most people who have a personal my Social Security account and have signed up for paperless notices can read their notice online starting in late November, up to three weeks before a paper notice would arrive. You can also ask to get a text or email alert when the notice is posted to your account's Message Center.

If you do not have an account yet, you must create one and sign up for paperless notices by November 18 to see your notice online. Everyone who has not signed up for paperless notices will get their notice by mail in December. A friend or relative may receive their letter before you do, and the agency asks that you wait until January before calling about a mailed notice.

If You Are Still Working

If you collect benefits before your full retirement age and keep working, there is a limit on how much you can earn before some benefits are held back. In 2027, that limit rises from $24,480 to $25,560 a year, or $2,130 a month. Social Security withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above it.

If you reach full retirement age during 2027, the limit is higher, rising from $65,160 to $67,920 a year, or $5,660 a month. In that case, $1 is withheld for every $3 you earn above the limit, and only earnings in the months before you reach full retirement age count. Starting the month you reach full retirement age, there is no limit at all.

The highest amount of earnings that is subject to the Social Security tax will also rise, from $184,500 in 2026 to $192,300 in 2027.

New SSI Payment Amounts

The top federal SSI payment for an individual will rise from $994 to $1,029 a month in 2027. For a couple, it will rise from $1,491 to $1,544 a month. Some states add money of their own on top of the federal amount.

Watch Out for COLA Scams

Social Security's services are free, and no government agency or reputable company will contact you asking for your personal information or ask for fees paid by wire transfer or gift card. Scammers sometimes claim you must pay or hand over personal details to activate your cost-of-living raise, which is never true. If you get a suspicious call, text, email or letter, hang up or ignore it, and report it to the Office of the Inspector General or call the Inspector General's Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271.