U.S. News
Most Retirees Will See About $75 More in Their Social Security Checks Starting in January
By Mike Harper · October 14, 2026
Social Security checks are going up next year, and by more than they did this year. The Social Security Administration announced on Wednesday that benefits will rise 3.6 percent in 2027, a cost-of-living adjustment that will reach tens of millions of retirees, people with disabilities and survivors.
According to the agency’s announcement, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by $75 per month on average. Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said the agency will implement the adjustment for 76 million Americans.
How it compares. The 2027 raise is larger than the last two. Social Security’s own records show a 2.8 percent COLA for 2026 and a 2.5 percent COLA for 2025. The last time the increase was higher was the 8.7 percent adjustment that took effect in January 2023, during the post-pandemic inflation surge. The Motley Fool noted that 3.6 percent ties for the fifth-largest COLA in 35 years.
Why the raise is bigger. The adjustment is not a discretionary decision. The Social Security Act ties it to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, known as CPI-W, which is calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Social Security compares the average of that index for July, August and September with the same three months a year earlier. The September report released Wednesday morning showed the CPI-W up 3.9 percent over the previous 12 months, with gasoline prices up 34.2 percent over the year. A bigger COLA is a sign that prices have been rising faster, not that retirees are getting ahead.
When the money arrives. The SSA says nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries will see the 3.6 percent increase beginning in January 2027. About 7.3 million people who receive Supplemental Security Income will see their higher payments starting December 31, 2026. Some people receive both.
How to see your own number. The $75 figure is an average, and individual increases depend on each person’s benefit. The agency says people with a personal my Social Security account can view their COLA notice online starting in late November, up to three weeks before a paper notice would arrive. Those who want to see it online need to create an account and enroll in paperless notices by November 18. Everyone else will receive a notice by mail in December. The SSA says this year’s notice is a simplified one-page letter showing the exact dates and dollar amounts of each person’s new benefit and any deductions.
The Medicare question. For many retirees, the raise they actually keep depends on the Medicare Part B premium, which is typically deducted from Social Security payments. The 2027 premium has not been officially announced. The SSA says information about 2027 Medicare changes will be available at medicare.gov, and that enrollees will be able to see their 2027 premium amount in the my Social Security Message Center starting in late November. For reference, the standard Part B premium in 2026 is $202.90 a month, according to the Motley Fool. Until the official 2027 figure is released, it is too early to say how much of the $75 average increase will show up in the typical deposit.
Watch for scams. Big benefit announcements tend to bring calls and emails from people pretending to be from the government. The SSA says its services are free and that no government agency will request advance fees by wire transfer or gift card.
To check the details of your own 2027 increase, sign in or create an account at the official Social Security website, ssa.gov/myaccount.