The Social Security Administration has announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment for 2027, a change that will affect tens of millions of Americans beginning this winter. The adjustment applies to both Social Security benefits—including Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance—and Supplemental Security Income.
On average, retired workers can expect to see their monthly Social Security retirement benefits increase by $75. In total, nearly 72 million beneficiaries will experience the 3.6 percent boost starting with payments distributed in January 2027. Meanwhile, approximately 7.3 million individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income will see their increased payments arrive slightly earlier, beginning on December 31, 2026. The agency notes that some individuals qualify for and receive both Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income.
Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano highlighted the scope of the adjustment, stating that the agency will implement the change for 76 million Americans to provide greater financial stability. He also credited the administration of President Donald J. Trump with pushing the agency to deliver better, faster, and higher-quality service.
Beneficiaries looking to review their updated payment details ahead of time can access their personal online accounts. Individuals with active my Social Security accounts will be able to view their specific COLA notices online beginning in late November. This digital access arrives up to three weeks earlier than traditional paper notices sent through the mail. Account holders also have the option to set up text or email alerts notifying them when a new message is ready in their account’s Message Center.
To view notices online before traditional mail delivery, individuals who do not yet have an online account must create one and enroll in paperless notices by November 18. Those who do not enroll in paperless delivery by that deadline will receive their COLA notices by mail in December.
The administration has also updated the physical format of the correspondence. Beneficiaries receiving paper notices will get a simplified, one-page document written in plain, personalized language. This notice details exact dates and dollar amounts reflecting an individual’s new benefit total alongside any applicable deductions.
Changes regarding Medicare for the upcoming year will be integrated into the communication process. Information concerning 2027 Medicare changes will be posted on the official Medicare website, and enrollees will be able to view their specific 2027 premium amounts through their online Social Security Message Center accounts starting in late November, subject to their paperless preferences.
The annual cost-of-living adjustment is not arbitrary but is instead mandated and calculated according to formulas laid out in the Social Security Act. The statute ties the yearly adjustment directly to increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, a metric tracked and calculated by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
