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Social Security, SSI, and VA Raise for 2027: The 3.6% COLA and When It Starts

By CalculateBenefits Editorial Team · Mark Phaneuf, Publisher
AI-assisted source check: November 4, 2026. What these dates mean.

Social Security and SSI will go up 3.6 percent in 2027. SSA named the raise on October 14, 2026. Higher SSI payments start on December 31, 2026. Higher Social Security checks start in January 2027.

This yearly raise is called a COLA. That stands for cost-of-living adjustment. You do not have to apply for it. It is automatic.

VA says the law requires its disability pay to rise by the same percent. When we checked on November 4, 2026, VA's rate pages still showed the 2026 rates.

How much will Social Security go up in 2027?

Checks go up 3.6 percent. SSA says the average retirement check will rise by about $75 a month. It estimates the average will go from $2,095 to $2,170 in January 2027.

Your own raise depends on the size of your check. A bigger check gets more dollars from the same percent. Your COLA notice will show your new amount.

How did SSA set the 3.6 percent?

The law ties the raise to a price index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Its short name is CPI-W. It tracks prices paid by city workers and their households.

SSA took the average of that index for July, August, and September 2026. Then it compared that to the same three months of 2025. Prices rose 3.6 percent, rounded to one decimal place.

Automatic raises began in 1975. If prices do not rise, there is no COLA. That happened for 2010, 2011, and 2016. The last two raises were 2.5 percent for 2025 and 2.8 percent for 2026.

How much is SSI in 2027?

The top federal SSI amount goes up 3.6 percent too. In 2027, it is $1,029 a month for one person. It is $1,544 a month for a couple. In 2026, it was $994 for one person and $1,491 for a couple.

These are the most the federal SSI check can be. Other income can lower your SSI check. Some states add money on top.

The SSI asset limit did not go up. It is still $2,000 for one person and $3,000 for a couple.

When will the higher payments arrive?

SSI is paid on the first of the month. But January 1 is a holiday. So the January 2027 SSI payment comes on December 31, 2026. That is the first SSI payment with the raise.

For Social Security, the raise starts with the benefit for December 2026. That benefit is paid in January 2027. So the first bigger Social Security check comes in January.

Want the whole year? See every 2027 Social Security and SSI payment date.

Does SSDI get a raise in 2027?

Yes. SSDI is a Social Security benefit, so it gets the same 3.6 percent. SSA estimates the average check for a disabled worker will go from $1,642 to $1,701.

Not sure which check you get? Read our guide to SSDI and SSI.

Do widow benefits get the COLA increase?

Yes. Survivor benefits are Social Security benefits too. They get the same raise. Take an older widow or widower with no kids also getting checks. SSA estimates the average check will go from $1,936 to $2,005.

Will VA disability increase in 2027?

VA says the law requires it to match the percent of the Social Security COLA. The 2026 VA rates started on December 1, 2025.

When we checked on November 4, 2026, VA still showed its 2026 rates. For a veteran with a 10% rating, pay is $180.42 a month. For a veteran alone with a 100% rating, pay is $3,938.58 a month. Check VA.gov for the new 2027 rate charts.

Do VA pensions have a COLA?

Yes. VA raises its pension limits each year for the cost of living. The 2026 raise was 2.8 percent, the same as Social Security. It started on December 1, 2025. VA's pension page still showed the 2026 limits on November 4, 2026.

For a veteran with no dependents, the 2026 yearly limit is $17,441. VA pays the gap between that limit and your countable income. VA counts Social Security as income. So a Social Security raise can change your VA pension. VA decides the amount.

See how the two VA checks differ in our VA pension and disability pay guide.

Will Medicare Part B premiums increase in 2027?

The 2027 Part B premium was not out when we checked on November 4, 2026. CMS sets it. Last year, CMS posted the 2026 amounts on November 14, 2025.

The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026. It was $185.00 in 2025. Most people have Part B taken out of their Social Security check. So if Part B goes up, part of your raise may go to it.

SSA says people with Medicare can see their 2027 premium in their online account starting in late November. A state Medicare Savings Program may pay Part B for some people with low income. See our Medicare Savings Programs guide.

Will food stamps increase in 2027?

SNAP changes on a different date. USDA updates SNAP amounts each October 1. It put out the amounts for October 2026 to September 2027 on August 21, 2026. The top SNAP amount for one person is now $306 a month in the 48 states and D.C.

A Social Security raise can also change your SNAP. SNAP counts Social Security as income. Your SNAP is the top amount for your household size minus 30% of your net income. So when your check goes up, your SNAP may go down a bit. Your state decides. Learn more in our SNAP guide.

Can a COLA raise my rent?

It can if you live in public housing or use a Section 8 housing voucher. With a voucher, your share is usually 30% of your income after deductions. Public housing rent is the highest of a few amounts. One is 30% of your monthly income after deductions. HUD counts income from all sources. The housing office must check your income at least once every 12 months. So a bigger check can raise your share of the rent. Ask your housing office how it handles the COLA.

When will I see my new amount?

SSA sends each person a one-page COLA notice. It shows your new amount and anything taken out, like a Medicare premium.

Most people can see their notice online in late November 2026. Sign in to your my Social Security account. Look in the Message Center. No account yet? SSA says to make one and sign up for online notices by November 18, 2026. Mailed notices go out in December.

The COLA is free and automatic. SSA says its services are free of charge. Do not pay anyone who offers to get your raise for you.

Programs mentioned in this guide