Social Security benefits to increase 3.6% in 2027

BALTIMORE, Md. — Social Security beneficiaries will receive a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment in 2027, increasing the average monthly retirement benefit by approximately $75, according to an announcement from the Social Security Administration.

Nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries will see the increase beginning in January 2027. About 7.3 million people receiving Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, will receive their increased payments beginning Dec. 31, 2026. Some individuals receive both Social Security and SSI benefits.

The annual adjustment applies to Social Security retirement, survivor and disability benefits, as well as SSI payments.

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

Beneficiaries with personal my Social Security accounts will be able to view their cost-of-living adjustment notices online beginning in late November, potentially up to three weeks before receiving a paper notice.

Account holders can also enroll in text or email notifications alerting them when new messages, including benefit adjustment notices, are available in their online accounts.

Individuals who do not currently have an account must create one and enroll in paperless notices by Nov. 18 to access their adjustment information online. Those who have not enrolled in paperless notifications will receive their notices by mail in December.

The agency said beneficiaries will receive a simplified, one-page notice outlining their new monthly benefit amount, payment dates and any applicable deductions.

For Medicare recipients, information about 2027 premium amounts will also be available through the my Social Security Message Center beginning in late November. Additional information about Medicare changes will be available at www.medicare.gov.

Social Security's annual cost-of-living adjustment is determined by changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, known as the CPI-W, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The adjustment is required under the Social Security Act and is intended to account for changes in consumer prices.

Beneficiaries can access their accounts at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. Additional information about the 2027 adjustment is available at www.ssa.gov/cola.