The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced on October 14, 2026, a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2027. This Social Security increase and SSI boost will benefit 76 million Americans.
Why it matters: according to SSA estimates, the average monthly check for a retiree will rise from $2,095 to $2,170 in January 2027.
These are the estimated average monthly benefits, before and after the 3.6% COLA:
The maximum benefit for someone retiring at full retirement age increases from $4,152 to $4,188 per month.
The COLA begins with January 2027 payments for nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries. It corresponds to December 2026 benefits, which are paid in January. About 7.3 million SSI beneficiaries will receive the increased payment starting December 31, 2026, since January 1 is a holiday. Some will people receive both benefits. The adjustment is calculated using the CPI-W index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The third-quarter 2026 average was 328.746, compared to 317.265 in the same quarter of 2025.
The maximum taxable earnings for Social Security increases to $192,300, up from $184,500 in 2026. The rate for employees remains unchanged: 7.65% (6.2% for Social Security up to that maximum and 1.45% for Medicare).
By late November 2026, the COLA notice will be in the Message Center of your personal my Social Security account, if you created it by November 18, 2026. The SSA reminds that its services are free and that no government agency will ask for personal information or advance payments via bank transfer or gift cards.
Source: Social Security Administration (SSA), 2027 COLA announcement, 2027 COLA fact sheet, and Actuarial Office calculation.
