2027 Social Security COLA Calculator
See what your monthly Social Security payment looks like using the official 2027 cost-of-living adjustment of 3.6%, announced Oct 14, 2026.
Free · No signup · Calculations stay in your browser.
Worked example: $2,000 a month at 3.6%
$2,000 a month at 3.6% becomes $2,072.00: +$72 a month, $864 a year.
How the 2027 COLA is set
The Social Security Administration averages the CPI-W for July, August and September, then compares that average with the same quarter a year earlier. The percentage rise is rounded to the nearest 0.1%.
For 2027, the CPI-W was 327.104 in July 2026, 328.481 in August and 330.654 in September. The third-quarter 2026 average is 328.746, against a third-quarter 2025 average of 317.265. That is a rise of 3.62%, which rounds to the official 3.6% COLA.
SSA then rounds each person’s benefit down to the next dime, so the amount on your December COLA notice can differ by a few cents from a simple multiplication.
For 2027 the third-quarter CPI-W rose 3.62% over 2026’s, so the COLA is 3.6%.
Retirees are not the only people whose pay is squeezed by rising prices. If you are still working, our guide to the cost-of-living raise explains how to ask for a raise that keeps up, and the Cost of Living Raise Calculator works out the percentage you need. For salary and wage increases of every kind, start with the main Pay Raise Calculator on our homepage.
Social Security COLA history
The table below shows the cost-of-living adjustment for each year from 2017 to 2027, on the payable-year basis used by the Social Security Administration.
| Year | COLA |
|---|
| 2017 | 0.3% |
| 2018 | 2.0% |
| 2019 | 2.8% |
| 2020 | 1.6% |
| 2021 | 1.3% |
| 2022 | 5.9% |
| 2023 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 2.5% |
| 2026 | 2.8% |
| 2027 | 3.6% |
At 3.6%, the 2027 increase is the highest since 2024, though it is well below the 2023 peak of 8.7%. The 2023 adjustment was the largest in this period; the increases from 2017 to 2021 were much smaller, ranging from 0.3% to 2.8%.
Source: Social Security Administration, COLA page.
What you keep after Medicare Part B
Most beneficiaries have the Medicare Part B premium deducted from their monthly check, so the amount that reaches you rises by less than the full COLA. The standard Part B premium is projected to rise by $6.60, to $209.50 a month in 2027. That is a Medicare Trustees projection; the final figure is confirmed in November.
| Current monthly benefit | Gross gain at 3.6% | Projected Part B increase | Estimated net gain |
|---|
| $1,000 | +$36.00 | −$6.60 | +$29.40 |
| $1,500 | +$54.00 | −$6.60 | +$47.40 |
| $2,087.52 (average retired worker) | +$75.15 | −$6.60 | +$68.55 |
| $3,000 | +$108.00 | −$6.60 | +$101.40 |
The table uses the projected $6.60 increase in every row, because the standard premium is the same flat amount at each benefit level. That is also why it takes a bigger share of a smaller raise: about 18% of the increase on a $1,000 benefit, compared with about 6% on a $3,000 benefit.
When you will see the 2027 COLA in your check
The increase applies to December 2026 benefits, which are paid in January 2027. Your payment date depends on your birth date:
| Birth date | Payment date |
|---|
| Born 1st–10th of the month | Wednesday, January 13, 2027 |
| Born 11th–20th of the month | Wednesday, January 20, 2027 |
| Born 21st–31st of the month | Wednesday, January 27, 2027 |
SSI recipients, and beneficiaries normally paid on the 3rd of the month, receive the increased payment on December 31, 2026, because January 1 is a federal holiday and January 3 falls on a Sunday.
Your COLA notice from the Social Security Administration, sent in December, shows your exact new amount. No action is needed: the increase is automatic.
Estimate your new monthly Social Security benefit for 2027. Enter your current monthly benefit and the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) percentage — prefilled with the official 3.6% COLA announced by the Social Security Administration on October 14, 2026 — and see your new benefit, your monthly increase, and your yearly increase right away.
When will the 2027 Social Security COLA be announced? It was announced on Oct 14, 2026: 3.6%.
When does the 2027 COLA take effect? It applies to benefits payable in January 2027.
What is CPI-W? The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers; SSA compares Q3 averages year over year to set the COLA.
How do I estimate my new benefit? Multiply your current monthly benefit by 1 + COLA (for example, $2,000 x 1.036 = $2,072.00) — or let the calculator above do it for you. The 3.6% figure is the official COLA announced by the Social Security Administration on October 14, 2026.
How much will Social Security increase in 2027 per month? The increase is 3.6%: about $36 a month for every $1,000 of benefit. For the average retired worker, on $2,087.52 a month, that is about $75.15 more a month.
Is the 3.6% COLA final? Yes. It is official, announced by the Social Security Administration on October 14, 2026. Your exact personal amount arrives on your December COLA notice.
Do I have to apply for the COLA? No. The increase is automatic. There is no form to file and no deadline.
Does the COLA apply to SSDI and SSI? Yes. Retirement, survivor and disability (SSDI) benefits, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), all rise by 3.6%.
When will I see the increase in my check? In the payment for December 2026 benefits: January 13, 20 or 27, 2027, depending on your birth date. SSI recipients and those normally paid on the 3rd of the month receive it on December 31, 2026.
