Social Security COLA Calculator 2027: See Your New Monthly Check

How the cost-of-living adjustment works

Each year, Social Security raises benefits to keep up with prices. The law ties the raise to a price index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics called the CPI-W. Social Security compares the average CPI-W for July, August, and September with the same three months a year earlier. The percentage increase, rounded to the nearest tenth, becomes the COLA.

For 2027, that increase is 3.6%. The Social Security Administration published the official numbers in its yearly notice in the Federal Register on October 26, 2026. For a full rundown of what changes next year, see our guide to the Social Security COLA for 2027.

The raise is applied behind the scenes to your primary insurance amount, the base figure your benefit is built from. Social Security then rounds your monthly benefit down to the next lower dime. The amount you actually receive, after any Medicare premium or other deductions, is rounded down to the whole dollar. This calculator copies those steps, so its answer should be within a dollar or so of your real amount.

The 2027 figures side by side

These are the official monthly amounts that change with the 2027 COLA, along with a few related limits from the same notice.

The SSI amounts are rounded down too. Social Security raises the yearly SSI amount by 3.6%, rounds it down to a multiple of $12, then divides by 12. That is why the one-person payment went up $35, not $35.78.

Using the Social Security COLA calculator

Pick the benefit you get. For Social Security retirement, survivors, or SSDI, you can enter either your benefit before deductions or the amount that lands in your bank. If you enter the deposit, the calculator adds back the Part B premium and any other deductions you list to work out your full benefit first.

1. Start with your 2026 benefit. This is the amount before Medicare and any other deductions.
2. Apply the 3.6% raise and round down to the dime.
3. Subtract the new Part B premium and any other deductions, then round down to the whole dollar. That is your estimated January deposit.
4. Compare the new deposit with your current one to see your monthly and yearly change.

For SSI, choose whether you get it alone or as an eligible couple, and enter any other income. The calculator subtracts countable income from the 2027 maximum, using the basic federal exclusions.

Medicare Part B and your net raise

Most people on Medicare pay the Part B premium straight out of their Social Security check. The 2026 standard premium is $202.90, according to CMS’s 2026 premium fact sheet. CMS usually announces the next year’s premium in the fall. The 2026 figure came out on November 14, 2025. As of November 8, 2026, the 2027 premium had not been announced, so the calculator fills in the 2026 amount. Type in the new premium once it is published.

Every dollar the premium goes up is a dollar less of your raise. People with higher incomes pay an extra amount on top of the standard premium (called IRMAA), so enter your actual premium if yours is higher.

The hold-harmless rule

A federal rule called “hold harmless” protects most people from seeing their check go down because of Part B. If the premium increase is larger than your COLA raise, your premium is held down so your net Social Security payment stays at least the same. It generally covers people who had Part B taken from their Social Security check in November and December of the prior year. It doesn’t cover people who pay the income-related extra amount, new enrollees, or people whose state pays their premium. With a 3.6% COLA, most people will see their net check go up. The rule mostly matters for people with very small benefits.

If your income is limited, a Medicare Savings Program may pay your Part B premium for you, which would let you keep the whole raise. See the Medicare Savings Programs page on Medicare.gov and our Medicare benefits guide.

Benefits that rise by 3.6%

The same 3.6% raise applies to:

• Social Security retirement and survivors benefits, including spouses and children who get benefits on a worker’s record.
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The federal payment rate rises by 3.6%. State supplements follow each state’s own rules.
• VA disability compensation and pension. The VA says the law requires it to match the Social Security COLA percentage. Check the VA’s compensation rate tables for the new amounts once they are posted.

One exception: the notice says the 3.6% increase does not apply to people who first become eligible after 2026, such as someone who turns 62 in 2027. Their starting benefit is figured with the 2027 formula instead. The COLA is automatic. You don’t need to fill out a form or call anyone to get it.

When the new amount shows up

The raise is for December 2026 benefits. Social Security pays each month’s benefit the following month, so the first higher Social Security payment arrives in January 2027. SSI is paid in the same month it covers. Because January 1 is a holiday, the January 2027 SSI payment, the first one at the new rate, is paid on December 31, 2026.

The Wednesday dates follow Social Security’s usual payment schedule. Check your own schedule in your account if you aren’t sure which group you are in. Two payments in late December are not a bonus. If you get one on December 31, it is your January payment, and there will be no payment on the 3rd.

Effect on SNAP, Medicaid, and rent

A bigger Social Security check counts as more income for other programs. For most people the effect is small, but it helps to know what to expect.

• SNAP (food stamps). SNAP counts your gross Social Security benefit, before Medicare is taken out. Your state may update your case automatically or at your next review. Many seniors can deduct medical costs above $35 a month, including the Part B premium. Our SNAP calculator lets you check the effect with your new amount.
• SSI with Social Security. If you get both, your Social Security raise counts as income for SSI. Your SSI payment rises by about the same 3.6%, but the higher Social Security amount is subtracted from it. Your combined total usually goes up by about the SSI increase.
• Medicaid and Medicare Savings Programs. Income limits tied to the poverty guidelines usually change early each year. Many states don’t count the COLA until the new guidelines come out. Ask your state Medicaid office if you are close to a limit.
• Subsidized housing. In public housing and Section 8, rent is usually about 30% of adjusted income. A higher benefit can raise your share of rent at your next income review. Report the change the way your housing office asks.

Why your real check may differ

• The 2027 Part B premium wasn’t known when this page was written. Your deposit will change by the difference.
• Rounding. Social Security applies the raise to your base amount, not your check. Our estimate may be off by a dime or a dollar.
• Other deductions, such as Part D premiums, tax withholding, or overpayment repayments, may change in January.
• SSI rules include state supplements, living arrangements, in-kind support, and more exclusions than the basic ones used here. Read Social Security’s SSI income rules for details.
• Only Social Security can tell you your official amount. It will be in your COLA notice.

If a tighter budget is making debts hard to manage, our guide to debt relief for seniors on Social Security explains which income creditors can and cannot take.

Related guides

• Medicare benefits: costs, parts, and help paying
• SNAP calculator: estimate your food benefit
• Housing for seniors on Social Security
• Housing help for people on Social Security disability

Frequently asked questions

This calculator gives an estimate for general information only. It is not a statement of your benefits. Your official amount is in the COLA notice from the Social Security Administration.