The 2027 raise can be calculated on Wednesday, October 14 (8 days from now), when the Bureau of Labor Statistics posts September's inflation numbers at 8:30am Eastern. Social Security says it will announce the raise in October 2026. This page updates when it does.
For 2026 the raise was 2.8%, which put the average retired worker at $2,071 a month.
How the raise is set
Social Security compares the average of one inflation index (the CPI-W) for July, August and September with the same three months a year earlier. The percent increase becomes the raise, effective for December and paid in January. So September's number, posted October 14, is the last piece.
What it means for your check
A what-if, not a forecast. The last column subtracts the 2027 Part B premium the Medicare Trustees project ($209.50, up $6.60 from $202.90); Medicare announces the real one in the fall. Part B usually comes out of the Social Security check.
The $90 Medicare rebate this month
Medicare is sending a one-time $90 Part B premium rebate in October 2026, mostly by direct deposit on or around October 8; some people get a paper check from the Treasury later in October marked "Medicare Improvement Fund Payment; $90 Payment to Offset October Premium."
- Who gets it: people in Original Medicare Part B living in the U.S. who don't get Medicaid help with the premium and don't pay the high-income surcharge (IRMAA). Medicare Advantage members aren't eligible.
- The $90 rebate, explained.
- Check eligibility: 1-800-MEDICARE. Check the payment: Social Security, 1-800-772-1213, starting October 15.
- Scam alert: anyone who calls or texts asking for your Medicare Number, bank details or a fee to "release" a rebate is not Medicare. Hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself. The Medicare scam red flags.
The 2026 numbers, for reference
- SSI federal payment: $994 a month for one person, $1,491 for a couple.
- Earnings limit before full retirement age: $24,480 a year.
- Medicare Part B premium: $202.90 a month.
Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7: Medicare Open Enrollment in San Diego · drug costs: Medicare Extra Help.
The paperwork, with PJ
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Sources: Social Security, COLA, how it's computed, COLA summary, 2026 fact sheet; BLS CPI release schedule; CMS, 2026 Part B, 2026 Trustees Report, $90 rebate FAQ. Checked October 6, 2026.
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Questions people ask
When is the 2027 Social Security COLA announced?
Social Security says it will announce the next COLA in October 2026. It can be calculated once the Bureau of Labor Statistics posts September's CPI on October 14, 2026.
What was the 2026 Social Security COLA?
2.8%. The average retired worker's benefit rose to $2,071 a month.
Who gets the $90 Medicare rebate?
People in Original Medicare Part B living in the U.S. who don't get Medicaid premium help and don't pay IRMAA. Medicare Advantage members aren't eligible. Most get a direct deposit around October 8, 2026.
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