What's Changing for Social Security in 2027
Social Security's 2027 numbers are set: a 3.6% COLA plus higher thresholds for the wage base ($192,300), earnings test, maximum benefit ($4,188), disability SGA, work credits, and SSI. Here's the full slate with 2026 figures side by side, so you can see exactly what moved.
Social Security's 2027 numbers are set, and the headline is a 3.6% cost-of-living raise starting in January. But the COLA is only one of about nine figures that change each year. Several thresholds move with it: the amount of earnings taxed, the limits if you work while claiming, the most a new retiree can get, and the disability and SSI numbers. Here is the full slate for 2027, with the 2026 figure next to each so you can see what moved.
The 2027 numbers at a glance
| Figure | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| COLA (cost-of-living raise) | 2.8% | 3.6% |
| Maximum earnings taxed (wage base) | $184,500 | $192,300 |
| Earnings-test limit, under FRA all year | $24,480 | $25,560 |
| Earnings-test limit, year you reach FRA | $65,160 | $67,920 |
| Maximum benefit at full retirement age | $4,152 | $4,188 |
| Disability SGA limit, non-blind | $1,690 | $1,770 |
| Disability SGA limit, blind | $2,830 | $2,950 |
| Earnings for one work credit | $1,890 | $1,970 |
| SSI federal benefit, individual | $994 | $1,029 |
| SSI federal benefit, couple | $1,491 | $1,544 |
1. A 3.6% cost-of-living raise
The COLA is 3.6% for 2027, up from 2.8% the year before. It applies to retirement, disability, survivor, and SSI benefits starting with January 2027 payments. For a retiree getting about $2,000 a month, that is roughly $72 more. What the 3.6% means at 62 walks through it, and you can run your own number on our benefits calculator.
2. More of your pay is taxed
The wage base, the most earnings subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax, rises to $192,300 from $184,500. If you earn above that, you and your employer each pay the tax only up to the cap. Earnings over the cap are not taxed and do not count toward your future benefit.
3. Higher earnings-test limits if you work while claiming
If you claim before full retirement age and keep working, SSA withholds some benefits above an annual limit. In 2027 that limit rises to $25,560, and SSA holds back $1 for every $2 above it. In the year you reach FRA, the limit is $67,920, with a gentler $1-for-$3 withholding, and it stops the month you hit FRA. Withheld money is not lost; your benefit is recalculated upward later. See how the earnings test works.
4. A higher maximum benefit
The most a worker retiring at full retirement age can receive rises to $4,188 a month, from $4,152. Very few people get the maximum; it takes a full career of earnings at or above the taxable cap.
5 and 6. Disability thresholds move up
Two disability numbers rise. The substantial-gainful-activity limit, which is the amount you can earn and still start an SSDI claim, goes to $1,770 a month for non-blind workers and $2,950 for blind workers. SSDI payments themselves rise with the same 3.6% COLA. See how the two programs compare in SSI vs. SSDI, or estimate a benefit with our SSDI calculator.
7. It takes more to earn a work credit
You earn Social Security credits by working, and you need 40 to qualify for retirement. In 2027 one credit takes $1,970 in covered earnings, up from $1,890. You can still earn only four credits in a year.
8. Higher SSI payments
The federal SSI benefit rises to $1,029 a month for an individual and $1,544 for a couple, from $994 and $1,491. Many states add a supplement on top of the federal amount.
9. A higher Medicare Part B premium
This one is not a Social Security figure, but it lands on the same check. The 2027 Part B premium is projected at about $209.50 a month, up from $202.90, and it is usually deducted from your benefit, which trims the COLA a little. See will your 2027 COLA cover the Medicare hike.
What it means for you
Most of these take effect with January 2027 payments, and SSA applies them automatically, so there is nothing to file. If you are still working, watch the higher wage base and earnings-test limits; if you are near retirement, the COLA and maximum-benefit figures matter most. To keep the key numbers in one place, see our cheat sheet.
This article is general educational information, not financial advice. The 2027 figures are from the Social Security Administration's October 14, 2026 announcement and fact sheet; the Medicare Part B figure is a projection from the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report. Confirm current numbers at ssa.gov. SocialSecurityNews.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration.
Frequently asked questions
- When do the 2027 Social Security changes take effect?
- Most take effect with January 2027 payments, and SSA applies them automatically — there is nothing to file. The SSI increase shows up a little earlier, in the payment dated December 31, 2026, because January 1 is a holiday.
- How much is the 2027 Social Security COLA?
- The cost-of-living adjustment is 3.6% for 2027, up from 2.8% in 2026. It applies to retirement, disability, survivor, and SSI benefits. For a $2,000 monthly benefit, that is about $72 more a month.
- What is the maximum taxable earnings for Social Security in 2027?
- The wage base rises to $192,300 in 2027, up from $184,500 in 2026. Earnings above the cap are not subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax and do not count toward your future benefit.
- What is the maximum Social Security benefit in 2027?
- The most a worker retiring at full retirement age can receive is $4,188 a month in 2027, up from $4,152. Getting the maximum takes a full career of earnings at or above the taxable cap and claiming at full retirement age.
- Do SSI and disability benefits also go up in 2027?
- Yes. The 3.6% COLA applies to SSI and SSDI too. The SSI federal benefit rises to $1,029 for an individual and $1,544 for a couple, and the disability SGA limit rises to $1,770 a month for non-blind workers and $2,950 for blind workers.
Reference: SocialSecurityNews