United States · Social Security · 2027 numbers
Social Security 2027 changes: every number.
The SSA's 2027 cost-of-living fact sheet in one place: the 3.6% COLA, wage base, earnings limits, disability thresholds, SSI rates and average benefits next to 2026.
Short answer: The SSA announced a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for 2027, payable with December 2026 benefits in January 2027. The Social Security taxable maximum rises to $192,300, the maximum benefit at full retirement age to $4,188 a month, the earnings limit to $25,560, and the average retired-worker benefit to $2,170 after the COLA.
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The COLA and how it was set
The SSA says cost-of-living adjustments follow the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The December 2026 COLA is the increase from the 2025 third-quarter average, 317.265, to the 2026 third-quarter average, 328.746: (328.746 − 317.265) ÷ 317.265 × 100 = 3.6%. Social Security benefits rise 3.6% beginning with December 2026 benefits, payable in January 2027, and federal SSI payments rise 3.6% for January 2027, paid at the end of December because January 1 is a holiday.
2026 and 2027 side by side
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum taxable earnings (Social Security tax) | $184,500 | $192,300 a year |
| Earnings for one quarter of coverage | $1,890 | $1,970 |
| Earnings limit, under full retirement age all year | $24,480 a year ($2,040 a month) | $25,560 a year ($2,130 a month) |
| Earnings limit, year you reach full retirement age | $65,160 a year ($5,430 a month) | $67,920 a year ($5,660 a month) |
| Substantial gainful activity, non-blind | $1,690 a month | $1,770 a month |
| Substantial gainful activity, blind | $2,830 a month | $2,950 a month |
| Trial work period month | $1,210 a month | $1,270 a month |
| Maximum benefit, worker retiring at full retirement age | $4,152 a month | $4,188 a month |
| SSI federal payment standard, individual | $994 a month | $1,029 a month |
| SSI federal payment standard, couple | $1,491 a month | $1,544 a month |
| SSI student exclusion, monthly | $2,410 | $2,500 |
| SSI student exclusion, annual | $9,730 | $10,080 |
Average monthly benefits payable in January 2027
| Group | Before 3.6% COLA | After 3.6% COLA |
|---|---|---|
| All retired workers | $2,095 | $2,170 |
| Aged couple, both receiving benefits | $3,238 | $3,355 |
| Widowed mother and two children | $3,932 | $4,074 |
| Aged widow(er) alone | $1,936 | $2,005 |
| Disabled worker, spouse and one or more children | $2,970 | $3,077 |
| All disabled workers | $1,642 | $1,701 |
Tax rates for 2027
The employee rate stays at 7.65% and the self-employed rate at 15.30%. The 7.65% combines Social Security (6.2% on earnings up to the taxable maximum) and Medicare (1.45% on all earnings). Individuals with earned income over $200,000, or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly, pay an additional 0.9% in Medicare taxes.
Worked example
A retired worker who gets $2,000 a month in December 2026 gets about $2,072 in January 2027 after a 3.6% increase, an extra $72. For a worker earning $200,000 in 2027, Social Security tax of 6.2% applies to the first $192,300, so the maximum employee share is $11,922.60; the Medicare 1.45% applies to the full $200,000 and the additional 0.9% to the part above $200,000.
Common mix-ups
- The COLA is not paid in December. It applies to December 2026 benefits, which arrive in January 2027.
- The averages are estimates. They are the SSA's estimated average benefits payable in January 2027, not what every person receives.
- The earnings limit is not the taxable maximum. $25,560 is the 2027 test for working before full retirement age; $192,300 is the cap on earnings subject to Social Security tax.
- The $4,188 maximum is only at full retirement age. Claiming earlier or later changes it.
- SSI amounts are federal only. Some states add to the federal payment.
Method
Every figure above is typed from the SSA 2027 COLA fact sheet and the COLA computation on its latest-COLA page, both read on November 9, 2026. The lookup returns the stored 2026 and 2027 values; nothing is calculated except the COLA percentage, which is re-derived from the published CPI-W averages.
What this does not cover
- Medicare Part B premiums for 2027, which are announced separately.
- Your personal benefit amount.
- Tax treatment of benefits.
- Other programs run by the SSA.
Figures read from the sources below on November 9, 2026. Last updated November 9, 2026.
Sources
- SSA: 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Fact Sheet (retrieved November 9, 2026)
- SSA Office of the Chief Actuary: Latest Cost-of-Living Adjustment (retrieved November 9, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the Social Security COLA for 2027?
3.6%, based on the CPI-W increase from the third quarter of 2025 to the third quarter of 2026.
What is the maximum Social Security benefit in 2027?
$4,188 a month for a worker retiring at full retirement age, compared with $4,152 in 2026.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2027?
$192,300, up from $184,500 in 2026.
What is the average Social Security benefit in 2027?
About $2,170 a month for all retired workers after the COLA, up from $2,095.
What is the SSI payment for 2027?
$1,029 a month for an individual and $1,544 for a couple.
What are the 2027 SGA amounts?
$1,770 a month for non-blind individuals and $2,950 for the blind, with a trial work period amount of $1,270.
When do 2027 benefits go up?
With December 2026 benefits payable in January 2027; SSI increases for January 2027 payments.
Not legal or tax advice
This page is general information from an unofficial guide, not legal or tax advice, and it is not an eligibility decision. Programs and thresholds change and the figures here are estimates. Confirm with the agency that runs the program before you apply or file. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.