3 Things All 2026 Social Security Applicants Should Know About the 2027 COLA
Key Points
The Social Security Administration will announce the 2027 COLA on Oct. 14, 2026.
It will also announce several other key program changes at the same time.
The 2027 COLA begins in January, but will be seen in the Dec. 31, 2026, payment.
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We're just a few weeks away from the announcement of what the 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be. This is arguably the biggest program news of the year. But if you've only signed up for checks beginning this year, you might not know what to expect.
Here's a closer look at exactly when recipients will learn what the 2027 Social Security COLA will be, how that will affect their benefits, and what else they will learn on that day.
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The 2027 Social Security COLA will be announced on Oct. 14
The Social Security Administration announces the next year's COLA in mid-October. The news comes soon after it receives the final piece of information needed to complete the calculation. The 2027 COLA announcement will occur on Oct. 14, 2026, at about 8:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Recent estimates indicate the 2027 COLA will be around 3.5%, according to the Senior Citizens League. This would add roughly $73 to the $2,086 average (as of July 2026) monthly retirement benefit.
Once recipients know the official percentage, they can start calculating based on their existing checks to estimate how much more they'll receive from the program next year. The Social Security Administration will also send recipients a personalized COLA notice in early December, giving their exact 2027 benefit amount. If you're enrolled in Medicare, this notice will also show how much will be withheld from your Part B premiums next year.
Other Social Security announcements coming on Oct. 14
The Social Security Administration announces other key Social Security changes at the same time as the COLA. Some of these changes affect workers, like the amount of income you must earn to qualify for a Social Security credit or the maximum taxable earnings subject to Social Security taxes.
Other changes, like earnings test limits, apply to beneficiaries. The official COLA announcement on the Social Security Administration website should link you to a fact sheet where you can review all the changes that are relevant to you.
The 2027 COLA and other changes take effect in January
Even though the Social Security Administration applies the COLA to recipients' December payment, they won't notice any changes until January because benefits go out the month after they're due. You should receive your payment on either the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of the month.
If you have any questions about your specific benefit, wait until you receive your COLA notice to see if it answers them. If not, contact the Social Security Administration by phone or by scheduling an appointment with your local office to address your concerns.
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