BALTIMORE — This week, the Social Security Administration announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 76 million Americans in 2027. Social Security benefits include Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by $75 per month starting in January 2027. Increased payments to people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2026.  

Many beneficiaries may want to find out exactly what their new benefit amount will be. The fastest way is through their personal my Social Security account. Account holders can view their COLA notice online up to three weeks earlier than receiving their notice in the mail. Beneficiaries who do not have a personal my Social Security account will need to create their account by November 18 and opt into paperless notices to view their COLA notice online.  

Note: Those receiving both Social Security benefits and SSI payments will receive a COLA notice for each. SSI COLA notices are not currently available online.  

Information about Medicare changes for 2027, including for the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), will be available at www.medicare.gov when announced.

The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can learn more at www.ssa.gov/cola.