How much is the 2027 COLA?
The cost-of-living adjustment for 2027 is 3.6%. It is based on the rise in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2025 to the third quarter of 2026. These are the main figures in the SSA 2027 COLA fact sheet:
| Figure | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Average retired worker benefit, per month (estimate) | $2,095 | $2,170 |
| Taxable maximum (Social Security tax) | $184,500 | $192,300 |
| Earnings test, under full retirement age, per year | $24,480 | $25,560 |
| Earnings test, year you reach full retirement age | $65,160 | $67,920 |
The average benefit is an SSA estimate. Your own increase depends on your own benefit.
How much will my Social Security check go up in 2027?
About 3.6% of what you get now. Multiply your current monthly benefit by 1.036:
2027 benefit ≈ current benefit × 1.036
- $1,500 a month becomes about $1,554: $54 more.
- $2,000 a month becomes about $2,072: $72 more.
- The average retired worker goes from about $2,095 to $2,170.
You can run your own amount in the percentage calculator, with the "increase by a percentage" option. The result is an estimate before deductions. If Medicare Part B premiums come out of your check, the amount that reaches your bank also depends on the 2027 premium, which Medicare sets separately. SSA sends each beneficiary a notice with the exact new amount.
If you have not claimed yet, the Social Security benefits calculator estimates your monthly benefit at 62, at full retirement age and at 70, with the 2027 bend points and the COLAs through December 2026.
When does the 2027 increase start?
According to the SSA announcement, the 3.6% COLA begins with the benefits that nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2027. For the roughly 7.3 million people who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the higher payment starts on December 31, 2026.
You do not have to apply for the COLA. It is added to your benefit automatically.
What changes for workers: the $192,300 wage base
The COLA also moves the taxable maximum, the cap on wages that pay Social Security tax. The rate stays at 6.2% for employees and 6.2% for employers. Medicare tax has no cap and does not change.
| 2026 | 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Taxable maximum | $184,500 | $192,300 |
| Maximum Social Security tax, employee (6.2%) | $11,439.00 | $11,922.60 |
| Maximum Social Security part of self-employment tax (12.4%) | $22,878.00 | $23,845.20 |
- If you earn less than $184,500, nothing changes for you: you pay 6.2% of all your wages in both years.
- If you earn $200,000, you pay Social Security on $7,800 more of your wages in 2027: $483.60 more for the year. Paid every two weeks, that is $439.96 of Social Security per paycheck in 2026 and about $458.56 in 2027.
- If you are self-employed with a $250,000 profit, 92.35% of it, $230,875, is above both caps, so the Social Security part of your self-employment tax rises by $967.20.
Our paycheck calculator and self-employment tax calculator still use the 2026 figures, including the $184,500 cap. For 2027 pay above $184,500, add 6.2% (or 12.4% if self-employed) of the extra wages up to $192,300.
How much can I earn while collecting Social Security in 2027?
If you claim benefits before your full retirement age and keep working, the earnings test can hold back part of your benefit. The SSA limits for 2027 are:
- Under full retirement age all year: $25,560. SSA withholds $1 of benefits for every $2 you earn above it.
- The year you reach full retirement age: $67,920. SSA withholds $1 for every $3 above it.
- From the month you reach full retirement age: there is no limit.
Example: you are 63 all of 2027 and earn $35,560. That is $10,000 over the limit, so SSA withholds $5,000 of your benefits for the year.
How much is SSI in 2027?
The federal maximum SSI payment for 2027 is $1,029 a month for an eligible individual and $1,544 a month for an eligible couple. These are the federal maximums: your actual payment can be lower if you have other countable income. The first payment at the new rate arrives on December 31, 2026.
Official sources
- SSA: 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Fact Sheet · COLA 3.6%, average benefit, taxable maximum, earnings test, SSI amounts
- SSA: Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2027 · announcement of October 14, 2026; payment dates
- IRS Topic No. 751: Social Security and Medicare Withholding Rates · Social Security rate 6.2% for employee and employer; Medicare without cap
- IRS Topic No. 554: Self-Employment Tax · self-employment tax: 12.4% on 92.35% of net earnings