Calculator
COLA calculator: your 2027 benefit
Your benefit after the cost-of-living adjustment, and the deposit after the Medicare Part B premium.
New monthly benefit$2,145$74 more a month with a 3.6% COLA
| Benefit before the COLA | $2,071 |
|---|---|
| × (1 + 3.6%) | $2,145.56 |
| New benefit (rounded down) | $2,145 |
| Medicare Part B premium (old → new) | $202.90 → $202.90 |
| Deposit after Part B (old → new) | $1,868.10 → $1,942.10 |
The SSA applies the COLA to your full benefit and rounds the benefit down to the whole dollar; the Medicare premium is then subtracted, so the deposit can have cents.
The link keeps your inputs, so you can save or share this scenario.
2027 COLA: what changes in January
The 3.6% COLA raises every Social Security and SSI benefit in January 2027; it is based on the rise in the CPI-W from the third quarter of 2025 to the third quarter of 2026[cola27]. The SSA announced it on October 14, 2026, along with the other 2027 figures[colapr]:
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| COLA | 2.8% | 3.6% |
| Average retired worker (January) | $2,071 | $2,170 |
| Average aged couple, both receiving | $3,208 | $3,355 |
| Average aged widow(er) alone | $1,919 | $2,005 |
| Average disabled worker | $1,630 | $1,701 |
| Maximum benefit at full retirement age | $4,152 | $4,188 |
| SSI federal payment, individual / couple | $994 / $1,491 | $1,029 / $1,544 |
| Maximum taxable earnings (wage base) | $184,500 | $192,300 |
| Earnings test limit under FRA | $24,480 | $25,560 |
The SSA's averages are estimates for January of each year, so the 2027 "before COLA" average ($2,095) is not the same as the 2026 "after COLA" average ($2,071)[cola26]. The wage base of $192,300 is the most earnings taxed for Social Security in 2027; see the Social Security calculator for how it caps the benefit formula.
Worked example: your check after the COLA and Medicare
Someone receiving $2,071 a month in 2026 gets $2,071 × 1.036 = $2,145.56, paid as $2,145 (the SSA drops the cents). If the 2027 Medicare Part B premium stays at $202.90, the deposit rises from $1,868.10 to $1,942.10 (the premium is subtracted after the benefit is rounded down to the dollar). CMS has not yet announced the 2027 premium; the Medicare Trustees projected $209.50 in June 2026[trustees26], which would cut about $6.60 from the gain. Check the Medicare Part B premium page for the official figure once CMS publishes it, and the IRMAA brackets if your income adds a surcharge.
Social Security COLA history
COLAs have averaged 3.4% over the last 10 years and 2.6% over 20 years. There was no COLA in 2016, 2011, 2010, when the CPI-W did not rise, and the largest recent increase was 8.7% for 2023[colahist].
| Paid from | COLA |
|---|---|
| January 2027 | 3.6% |
| January 2026 | 2.8% |
| January 2025 | 2.5% |
| January 2024 | 3.2% |
| January 2023 | 8.7% |
| January 2022 | 5.9% |
| January 2021 | 1.3% |
| January 2020 | 1.6% |
| January 2019 | 2.8% |
| January 2018 | 2.0% |
How the COLA is calculated
- Average the CPI-W for July, August and September of this year.
- Divide by the same average for the last year a COLA was paid, and round the increase to one decimal place.
- Apply it to every benefit (the full benefit before Medicare), rounding the result down to the dime and the payment down to the dollar.
The COLA starts at 62 for everyone, even if you have not claimed yet: your full benefit grows with each COLA from the year you turn 62. That is why waiting to claim, shown in the break-even calculator, does not lose COLAs. The FERS pension COLA follows a different rule: 2.6% for January 2027, because federal FERS annuities get the CPI rise minus 1 point when it is above 3%.
Common mistakes about the COLA
- Applying it to the net deposit. The COLA applies to your full benefit before Medicare and tax withholding, so the deposit rises by a different amount.
- Assuming the deposit rises 3.6%. A higher Part B premium or an IRMAA surcharge can absorb part of the raise.
- Expecting the raise in December. The COLA is effective for December benefits, which are paid in January. SSI gets it with the payment dated December 31, 2026.
When the SSA tells youThe SSA mails COLA notices in December and posts them in my Social Security's Message Center, showing your new benefit and the Medicare premium deducted.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Social Security COLA for 2027?
3.6%, announced October 14, 2026. It applies to Social Security benefits paid from January 2027 and to SSI payments from December 31, 2026.
What was the Social Security COLA for 2026?
2.8%, paid from January 2026. The 2025 COLA was 2.5% and the 2024 COLA was 3.2%.
How much will my Social Security check increase in 2027?
By 3.6% of your full benefit before Medicare, rounded down to the dollar: about $75 a month for the average retiree, from about $2,095 to $2,170. Your deposit also depends on the 2027 Part B premium.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2027?
$192,300, up from $184,500 in 2026. Earnings above it are not taxed for Social Security (Medicare tax has no cap) and do not raise benefits.
Sources
- 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Fact Sheet
- Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2027 (press release)
- 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Fact Sheet
- Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA history, 1975–2026)
- 2026 Annual Report of the Boards of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds