Social Security Recipients Get 3.6% COLA in 2027: What a $2,400 Monthly Benefit Could Become

2027 Social Security COLA increase, Digi Mart USA News: The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2027, according to the agency’s 2027 COLA fact sheet, as reported by FinanceBuzz. The adjustment applies to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments and is designed to help benefits keep pace with inflation.

The COLA is based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2025 through the third quarter of 2026, as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2027 increase is larger than the 2.8% adjustment that took effect in 2026.

Using a gross benefit of $2,400 per month, a 3.6% increase equals $86.40, bringing the new gross monthly amount to $2,486.40. Over a full year, that is roughly $1,036.80 in additional gross benefits. The SSA rounds some figures to whole dollars in its official notices, so an individual notice may show $2,486 instead.

The $2,486.40 figure is before deductions. Many beneficiaries have Medicare Part B premiums withheld from their payments; the standard Part B premium is $202.90 per month in 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The 2027 premium had not yet been announced at the time of the source’s writing. Federal income tax withholding or SSA recovery of overpayments may also reduce the net deposit.

The 3.6% COLA generally takes effect with benefits payable in January 2027, according to the SSA. SSI recipients are expected to see their increased payment arrive on December 31, 2026, because January 1 is a holiday.

The SSA’s fact sheet estimates the average monthly retired-worker benefit at $2,170 after the adjustment, up from an estimated $2,095 before it.

Related figures also change for 2027, according to the SSA: the taxable earnings maximum rises to $192,300 from $184,500, and the SSI federal payment standard increases to $1,029 per month for an individual and $1,544 for a couple. The SSA typically mails COLA notices in December, and people with a my Social Security account may be able to view their notice online in late November.

The notice shows the exact individual benefit and net payment for 2027.