Social Security checks will go up 3.6% in 2027. The Social Security Administration announced the raise on October 14, 2026. About 72 million people will get it. It is a bigger raise than the 2.8% people received in 2026, and the largest since 2024.
If you are a retired teacher, police officer or other public worker, there is good news on top of the raise. Since the Social Security Fairness Act, your pension no longer shrinks your Social Security. So the full 3.6% applies to your full check.
When the raise shows up
The raise starts with the benefit for January 2027. Social Security pays one month behind, so most people will see the new amount in the payment they get in January. Your exact day depends on your birthday. See Social Security payment dates for December and January.
If you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the higher amount starts on December 31, 2026. That is because January 1 is a holiday, so the January SSI payment comes a day early.
Social Security will tell you your new amount before it starts. If you have a my Social Security account at ssa.gov, the notice goes to the Message Center there in early December. Others get a letter in the mail.
What 3.6% means in dollars
Here is how the average check changes, using Social Security’s own estimates.
| Who | Before the raise | After the raise |
|---|---|---|
| All retired workers | $2,095 | $2,170 |
| Retired couple, both getting benefits | $3,238 | $3,355 |
| Widow or widower living alone | $1,936 | $2,005 |
| Widowed mother with two children | $3,932 | $4,074 |
| All disabled workers | $1,642 | $1,701 |
The largest possible check for someone who retires at full retirement age in 2027 is $4,188 a month.
An example with a pension
Linda taught for 28 years in Texas. Her school job did not pay into Social Security. But she worked 12 years in an office before teaching, and that work did.
- Her TRS pension is $3,200 a month.
- Her Social Security is $900 a month.
In January 2027, her Social Security goes up 3.6%, to about $932. Her pension stays at $3,200, because Texas TRS does not give a yearly raise. Her total income goes from $4,100 to about $4,132 a month.
Before 2024, the Windfall Elimination Provision would have cut Linda’s Social Security, and her raise would have been smaller too. That rule is gone now.
How the raise is figured
The raise is not a choice made by Congress or the President. It is set by a formula in the law. Social Security looks at a price index called the CPI-W. It compares prices from July to September of this year with the same months last year. Prices rose 3.6% over that time, so benefits rise 3.6%.
Here is how recent raises compare:
| Year | Raise |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 2.5% |
| 2026 | 2.8% |
| 2027 | 3.6% |
Two things that can eat into the raise
Medicare premiums. If you have Medicare Part B, the premium usually comes out of your Social Security check. Medicare sets the new premium for 2027 each fall. If it goes up, part of your raise goes to pay it. There is a rule that protects many people: the Part B increase cannot make your Social Security check smaller than the year before. But it can take most of the raise.
Taxes. Up to 85% of Social Security can be taxed, depending on your total income. Many retired public workers have a good-sized pension, so their Social Security is often partly taxed. A bigger check can mean a little more tax. If you have tax taken out of your Social Security, you may want to check the amount.
Your pension’s raise is separate
Your Social Security raise and your pension raise have nothing to do with each other. Each pension plan has its own rule. CalSTRS adds 2% every September. NYSTRS gave 1.7% on the first $18,000 in September 2026. Texas TRS gives no raise unless the Legislature passes one. See teacher pension raises for 2026–27, plan by plan.
Questions people ask
Do I need to do anything to get the raise? No. It happens on its own.
Does the raise count toward the earnings limit if I still work? No. The earnings limit only counts pay from work. See how much you can earn on Social Security in 2027.
I have not started Social Security yet. Do I still get it? Yes. Once you are 62, each yearly raise is added to your benefit even if you have not claimed it.
Will the raise lower my pension? No. Your pension does not go down when Social Security goes up.
To see your pension and Social Security together, try the pension and Social Security calculator.
Want a head start on next year? Our 2028 COLA tracker updates the estimate every month as new price figures come out.