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Will Social Security, SSI, and VA Benefits Go Up in 2027? How the COLA Works

By CalculateBenefits Editorial Team · Mark Phaneuf, Publisher
AI-assisted source check: September 29, 2026. What these dates mean.

Social Security, SSI, and VA checks will go up in 2027 only if prices rose. The 2027 raise is not set yet. It depends on prices from July, August, and September 2026. The last of those price reports comes out on October 14, 2026.

If there is a raise, Social Security and SSI go up by that percent. VA disability pay must match it by law. VA pension limits also rise each year for the cost of living.

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.

Will Social Security get a raise in 2027?

Only if prices rose. SSA uses 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 takes the average of that index for July, August, and September 2026. Then it compares that to the same three months of 2025. The rise, rounded to one decimal place, is the COLA.

BLS plans to post the September 2026 numbers on October 14, 2026. The report is set for 8:30 in the morning, Eastern time. Last year, SSA named the raise on the same day BLS posted the September numbers. That day was October 24, 2025.

Does Social Security increase with inflation?

Yes. The law ties the yearly raise to the CPI-W. Automatic raises began in 1975. Before that, Congress had to pass a new law for each raise.

If prices do not rise, there is no COLA. That happened for 2010, 2011, and 2016. The COLA itself only adds money. It is never a cut.

How much will Social Security increase in 2027?

No one knows yet. Be careful with any site that claims to know the exact number early. SSA will post the real number on its COLA page.

For a sense of size, here are the last two raises:

• 2025: 2.5 percent.
• 2026: 2.8 percent.

The 2.8 percent raise added about $56 a month to the average retirement check. SSA estimated the average went from $2,015 to $2,071.

Will SSI get a raise in 2027?

Yes, if there is a COLA. The top federal SSI amount goes up by the same percent as Social Security. In 2026, the federal SSI rate is $994 a month for one person. It is $1,491 for a couple. Other income can lower your SSI check. Some states add money on top.

SSI is paid on the first of the month. But January 1 is a holiday. So the January SSI check always comes at the end of December. That means the first raised SSI check would come in late December 2026.

The SSI asset limit did not go up with the COLA. It was $2,000 for one person and $3,000 for a couple in both 2025 and 2026.

Does SSDI get a raise in 2027?

Yes, if there is a COLA. SSDI is a Social Security benefit, so it gets the same raise. The average check for a disabled worker went up in 2026, too. SSA estimated it rose from $1,586 to $1,630.

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. With the 2026 raise, SSA estimated the average check rose from $1,867 to $1,919.

Will VA disability increase in 2027?

VA says the law requires it to match the percent of the Social Security COLA. So if Social Security gets a raise, VA disability pay gets the same percent.

The 2026 VA rates started on December 1, 2025. 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 new rate charts once the COLA is set.

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.

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 is not out yet. 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.

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.

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. The top SNAP amount for one person was $298 a month. That was for October 2025 to September 2026. 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.

For the 2026 raise, most people could see their notice online in late November 2025. Mailed notices started in early December. To see yours online, sign in to your my Social Security account. Look in the Message Center.

Social Security checks with the raise start in January. SSI checks with the raise come at the end of 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