2027 Social Security COLA: When It's Announced and How Much to Expect
The 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be announced on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, the same morning the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases September's inflation data. The raise takes effect with January 2027 payments.
Checked October 3, 2026. We'll update this page with the official number on October 14.
Current estimates: 3.3% to 3.6%
- The Senior Citizens League: about 3.5%, which would add roughly $73 to the average retirement benefit of $2,088 (August 2026).
- AARP: 3.6%, based on August inflation data.
- Our own math using July and August alone points to about 3.3% (see below).
Any of these would be larger than the 2.8% raise for 2026.
What it could add to your monthly check
| Current benefit | At 3.3% | At 3.5% | At 3.6% |
| $1,500 | +$50 | +$53 | +$54 |
| $2,000 | +$66 | +$70 | +$72 |
| $2,500 | +$83 | +$88 | +$90 |
| $3,000 | +$99 | +$105 | +$108 |
The increase you actually see may be smaller. Medicare Part B premiums are usually deducted straight from Social Security, and the 2027 premium is typically announced a few weeks after the COLA.
How the COLA is calculated
Social Security compares the average Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for July, August and September with the same three months a year earlier. The percentage increase, rounded to the nearest tenth, becomes the COLA.
- Third quarter 2025 average: 317.265
- July 2026: 327.104
- August 2026: 328.481
- September 2026: released October 14
July and August average 327.793, which is 3.3% above last year's third quarter. September's reading will move that up or down slightly.
When the raise shows up
- SSI recipients see it first, in the payment dated January 1, 2027, which arrives December 31, 2026 because of the New Year's Day holiday.
- Social Security beneficiaries get it in January 2027, on their usual Wednesday based on birth date. For example, if you were born between the 11th and the 20th, it's January 20, 2027.
- Your personal notice with your new amount arrives in early December, by mail or in your my Social Security account.
What else changes on October 14
The same announcement sets the 2027 maximum taxable earnings for Social Security payroll tax and the earnings limits for people who work while collecting benefits before full retirement age. We'll add those numbers here and to what Social Security is and how it works.
What to do now
- Make sure you can log into your my Social Security account so you can see your notice in December.
- If you're budgeting for 2027, plan on the low end of the estimates until the official number is out.
- If you're still working, see average retirement savings by age and how to make retirement savings last.
FAQ
When is the 2027 Social Security COLA announced?
On October 14, 2026, after the September CPI report.
How much will Social Security go up in 2027?
Estimates range from about 3.3% to 3.6%. The official figure is set on October 14.
When do the higher payments start?
In January 2027. SSI recipients get their first higher payment on December 31, 2026.
Was the 2026 COLA higher or lower?
The 2026 COLA was 2.8%, so the 2027 raise is expected to be larger.
Figures and rules in this article are checked against the official sources below. Where they disagree with us, they win.
