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5 Things to Do Before Nov 18 to See Your 2027 Social Security Raise Early

By Mike Harper · October 17, 2026

Social Security just locked in a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment for 2027. On average, retirement benefits will rise by about $75 a month. Nearly 72 million beneficiaries will see the raise in January 2027, and about 7.3 million people who get Supplemental Security Income will see higher payments starting December 31, 2026, according to the Social Security Administration’s Oct. 14 announcement.

Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said the agency will implement the adjustment for 76 million Americans. The average $75 figure is useful for planning. Your own number depends on your current benefit, and the only way to see that number early is online.

Here are five concrete steps to take before November 18 if you want that head start.

Create a my Social Security account if you do not already have one. The SSA says people with a personal account can view their COLA notice online starting in late November, up to three weeks earlier than a paper notice in the mail. You create the account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. Expect to verify your identity through Login.gov or ID.me. Bring a government photo ID and a working email address.

Enroll in paperless notices by November 18. Having an account alone is not enough. The SSA is clear that individuals who do not have a personal account will need to create one and enroll in paperless notices by November 18 to see the COLA notice online. If you skip paperless enrollment, you get the notice by mail in December.

Turn on Message Center alerts. Account holders can choose text or email alerts when a new message, including the COLA notice, lands in the Message Center. That matters because the online notice window is short and easy to miss if you only check when you remember.

Know what the notice will show you. This year’s COLA letter is a simplified one-page notice. The SSA says it uses plain, personalized language and lists the exact dates and dollar amounts of your new benefit and any deductions. That is the document that turns the 3.6 percent headline into your actual deposit.

Plan for the Medicare premium line, which is still coming. For people on Medicare, the net raise often depends on the Part B premium deducted from the check. The 2027 premium amount has not been announced yet. The SSA says information about Medicare changes for 2027 will be available at medicare.gov, and that the 2027 premium amount will be available via my Social Security Message Center starting in late November. People who have not opted into online messages will get that information with the paper COLA notice in December.

If you miss the November 18 paperless deadline, you are not locked out of the raise. You still get the 3.6 percent increase on the same schedule. You just wait longer to see your personal dollar figure. For anyone who wants the number in hand before Thanksgiving shopping and year-end budgeting, the account and paperless enrollment are the whole game.

This article is for general information and is not financial or benefits advice. Confirm your own COLA notice and Medicare premium details through your my Social Security account or the official notice you receive from Social Security.