Social Security · COLA 2027
What will your 2027 Social Security raise actually be?
Enter your current monthly benefit and we'll apply the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), then subtract your Medicare Part B premium — because that is the number that really lands in your bank account. Nothing you type ever leaves your device.
COLA benefit calculator
We start with a round $2,000 as an example. Change the amounts to match your own.
Source: SSA COLA & BLS CPI-W Public government data Figures verified October 14, 2026
Based on a 3.6% COLA. Estimates only; SSA rounds your monthly benefit down to the next whole dollar and your exact figures depend on your benefit and Part B amount.
Now check your Medicare plan
Your raise is only half the picture. See exactly what changed in your Medicare plan's premium, deductible, and benefits for 2027.
What Changed tool →Key dates for this fall
The 2027 COLA was announced October 14, 2026. Medicare Open Enrollment runs Oct 15 – Dec 7. Here's the full calendar.
See the timeline →How the COLA and Part B work together
Each year, Social Security benefits rise by a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) tied to inflation. But the headline percentage isn't the whole story. Two things determine what you actually keep:
- The gross raise — your benefit multiplied by the COLA. Put your own benefit in the calculator above to see what the 3.6% COLA adds each month before anything is taken out.
- Your Medicare Part B premium — for most people this is deducted straight from the Social Security check. When Part B rises, it quietly claws back part of the raise. In some years, a higher Part B premium has eaten up half of a retiree's COLA increase.
Recent COLAs at a glance
The cost-of-living adjustment swings with inflation — from the steep 8.7% of 2023 to the leaner years since. Here is how the last several years compare.
| Item | COLA |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 3.2% |
| 2025 | 2.5% |
| 2026 | 2.8% |
| 2027 | 3.6% |
The one formula that matters
Net benefit = (your current benefit × (1 + COLA)) − your Medicare Part B premium. That's the number our calculator shows in the "After Part B is taken out" box.
Frequently asked questions
When was the 2027 COLA announced?
The Social Security Administration announces the official COLA right after the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases September inflation data, normally at 8:30 a.m. ET. The 2027 adjustment of 3.6% was announced on October 14, 2026.
How is the COLA actually calculated?
By law, the COLA equals the percentage increase in the average CPI-W (the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers) for July, August, and September of this year compared with the same three months of the last year a COLA took effect — rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent. We walk through a worked example on our How it works page.
Why does my raise look smaller after Part B?
Because Medicare Part B is usually withheld from your Social Security payment. If your gross benefit goes up 3.6% but your Part B premium also rises, the increase to your deposit is smaller than the headline COLA. That gap is exactly what this tool makes visible.
Do you store the numbers I enter?
No. The entire calculation runs in your web browser. We don't have a server that receives your benefit amount, we don't use it for advertising, and we never ask for your name, email, or phone number. See our privacy pledge.