2027 COLA Explained: What 3.6% Means for Social Security and SSI

Описание: Social Security and SSI checks go up 3.6% in 2027. In this video I walk through what that means in real dollars, how the number is figured, and the parts of SSI that never get adjusted at all: the $2,000 savings limit (the same since 1989) and the $20 and $65 income rules (the same since 1981). I also cover ABLE accounts, a bill in Congress to raise the savings limit, and the case against my own argument. I live on SSI myself, so this one's personal.

Issues, not teams. Every number is sourced and dated below.

Chapters:
0:00 3.6%, and the number that didn't move
0:33 The raise: what changes in 2027
1:57 How it's figured: the CPI-W
3:04 What didn't change: SSI's $2,000 limit and income rules
4:23 ABLE accounts and a bill in Congress
5:06 The other side
6:17 Where I land
6:43 What to do now
7:08 Recap

Sources (all checked Oct. 18, 2026):
SSA press release, "Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2027," Oct. 14, 2026 (3.6%; ~72M and ~7.3M recipients; notice dates): https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/press/rel...
SSA, "2027 COLA Fact Sheet," Oct. 14, 2026 (average benefits; SSI $994 to $1,029 and $1,491 to $1,544; $2,000/$3,000 resource limits; SGA $1,690 to $1,770): https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/cola/fact...
SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, COLA history (shown by year payments start): https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/colaser...
SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, "Latest COLA" (Q3 CPI-W 317.265 to 328.746): https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/latestC...
BLS, "Consumer Price Index – September 2026," Oct. 14, 2026 (CPI-U 3.7%, energy 20.4%, gasoline 34.2%, CPI-W 3.9%, chained CPI-U 3.5%): https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi....
BLS CPI-U series CUUR0000SA0 (Jan. 1989 121.1; Sept. 2026 336.940; $2,000 x 336.940 / 121.1 = about $5,565): https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUUR0...
CMS, "2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles," Nov. 14, 2025 ($202.90): https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-she...
Medicare.gov, "How to Pay Part A & Part B premiums": https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs...
SSA, "Congressional Statistics, December 2025 – Iowa" (717,616; 49,293): https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/facts...
SSA Handbook § 2166 (limits effective Jan. 1, 1989): https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/...
SSA Annual Statistical Supplement 2024, SSI legislative history ($20/$65 exclusions, P.L. 97-35, 1981): https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statc...
SSA Red Book, "Earned Income Exclusion": https://www.ssa.gov/redbook/eng/earne...
SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, "Substantial Gainful Activity": https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/sga.html
SSA, "Spotlight on ABLE Accounts" ($100,000; onset before 46 since Jan. 1, 2026): https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/sp...
Congress.gov, S.1234, SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, introduced Apr. 1, 2025, status Introduced: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c... (text: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/B...)
2026 Social Security Trustees Report, June 9, 2026 (2034; 83%): https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/press/rel...
SSA, "SSI Overview" (funded by general revenue): https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-over-uss...

This is general information, not legal or benefits advice. For your own situation, check your SSA notice or call SSA at 1-800-772-1213.

Voice: this video uses computer-generated narration.
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