Social Security COLA 2027 for Disability: A 3.6% Cost-of-Living Adjustment

How Much SSDI Goes Up in 2027

SSDI benefits go up 3.6% in 2027, starting with the January payment. The SSA fact sheet estimates the average disabled-worker benefit at $1,642 a month before the COLA and $1,701 after it. That is a raise of $59 a month, or $708 over 12 payments.

For a disabled worker with a spouse and one or more children, the estimated family average rises from $2,970 to $3,077 a month. That family raise comes to $107 a month.

To estimate your own new benefit, multiply your current monthly SSDI amount by 1.036. The dollar amount on your COLA notice is the exact figure for your record.

See the Social Security COLA calculator to estimate your new benefit. For the retirement side of the same raise, where the average retirement benefit goes up $75 a month, see the 2027 Social Security COLA guide.

When the 2027 SSDI Payment Increase Arrives

The 3.6% COLA first appears in the SSDI payment for January 2027. SSA says nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries see the higher amount beginning that month.

If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as well as SSDI, the SSI portion rises sooner, starting with the payment on December 31, 2026. About 7.3 million SSI recipients get that early increase. Some people receive both benefits, and SSA says the COLA applies to 76 million Americans in total.

The 2027 SSI increase guide covers the new SSI payment amounts in more detail.

SSA mails COLA notices in December. If you have a personal my Social Security account, you can read the notice online starting in late November, up to three weeks before the paper copy. Without an account, you need to create one and enroll in paperless notices by November 18 to see the notice online.

Account holders can also choose text or email alerts. The notice is a one-page summary that lists the exact dates and dollar amounts of your new benefit and any deductions.

SGA and Trial Work Month Limits for 2027

In 2027, monthly earnings above $1,770 count as substantial gainful activity (SGA) for SSDI recipients who are not blind. For blind recipients, the SGA line is $2,950 a month. SGA is the level of earnings SSA treats as substantial work.

The trial work period (TWP) uses a lower threshold. In 2027, any month with earnings above $1,270 is a trial work month, meaning a month that counts toward the trial work period.

The non-blind SGA limit rises by $80 a month, and the blind limit rises by $120. The trial work month threshold rises by $60.

If you work while receiving SSDI, compare your expected monthly earnings for 2027 against $1,770 for SGA and $1,270 for a trial work month. Use $2,950 in place of $1,770 if the blind limit applies to you.

Medicare Part B and the 2027 Social Security Disability COLA

The 2027 Medicare Part B premium has not been announced, so the net size of your SSDI raise is not final. Your COLA notice lists any deductions next to your new benefit amount.

Medicare enrollees can see their 2027 premium amount in the my Social Security Message Center starting in late November. Information on other Medicare changes for 2027 will be posted at Medicare.gov.

Until the premium is published, treat $59 as the gross raise on the $1,642 average benefit.

Taxes on SSDI Benefits and Work Earnings

The 2027 SSA fact sheet lists payroll tax figures but no income tax rules for benefits. The Is Social Security taxable guide explains how federal income tax applies to Social Security benefits.

If you work while on SSDI, the payroll tax rate on your earnings stays the same in 2027. The employee rate is 7.65%, and the self-employed rate is 15.30%. The 7.65% combines 6.2% for Social Security on earnings up to the taxable maximum with 1.45% for Medicare on all earnings.

The Social Security taxable maximum is $192,300 in 2027. It was $184,500 in 2026. Medicare tax has no earnings limit.

How the 2027 Social Security Disability COLA Was Set

The 2027 COLA is based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2025 through the third quarter of 2026. By law, the COLA is tied to the CPI-W. SSDI recipients get the same 3.6% as other Social Security beneficiaries.

At 3.6%, this is the largest COLA since 2023, when the COLA was 8.7%. The COLA for 2026 was 2.8%. The 2027 figure is 0.8 percentage points above the 2026 figure.

For all retired workers, the estimated average goes from $2,095 to $2,170, a raise of $75. The disabled-worker average goes from $1,642 to $1,701, a raise of $59.

What to Check on Your 2027 Social Security Disability COLA Notice

Your COLA notice shows the exact new SSDI amount for your record, and it is available online in late November or by mail in December. Check these items when it arrives:

1. The new monthly benefit. Compare it with your current amount times 1.036.
2. The date of your first payment at the new amount.
3. Any deductions.
4. Your 2027 Medicare premium in the my Social Security Message Center, once it posts in late November.
5. The separate SSI amount starting December 31, 2026, if you receive both benefits.

If the notice amount does not match your own estimate, look at the deductions line first, then compare the percentage with the official 3.6% on the SSA COLA page.

Sign in to my Social Security in late November to read your notice and confirm your 2027 SSDI amount.

Frequently asked questions