The SSI 2027 payment amount is going up in 2027, and the first payment at the new rate lands before the new year even starts. The maximum federal SSI payment rises to $1,029 a month for an individual, up from $994 in 2026. For a couple, it climbs to $1,544 a month, up from $1,491.
The increase comes from the 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment the Social Security Administration announced on October 14, 2026. It is the same COLA that lifts Social Security retirement benefits, and it takes effect with the payment for January 2027. Because January 1 is a federal holiday, that payment arrives early — on Thursday, December 31, 2026.
That timing matters. The December 31 deposit is January’s money, not a bonus check. Anyone who treats it as extra cash will come up short in January, when no SSI deposit is scheduled at all.
What SSI pays in 2027
The new federal maximums, confirmed on the SSA’s official SSI payment amounts page, are $1,029 a month for an eligible individual, $1,544 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, and $516 for an essential person. That is $35 more a month for a single recipient, or $420 over a full year. A couple at the maximum gains $53 a month, or $636 a year.
These are maximums, not guarantees. Social Security subtracts countable income from the federal amount, so most recipients get less than the headline figure. Some states add their own supplement on top of the federal payment, which can push the total higher. The only way to know your own number is to check your record with Social Security — the $1,029 figure is the ceiling, not the average.
The new amounts arrive alongside the rest of Social Security’s 2027 changes, including the higher wage cap and earnings limits that take effect the same month. The broader picture is covered in our rundown of Social Security’s 2027 numbers.
Three months bring two deposits
SSI is normally paid on the 1st of the month. When the 1st falls on a weekend or a federal holiday, the payment moves to the last business day before it. In 2027 that rule produces an unusual calendar: three months have two SSI deposits, and three months have none.
April brings deposits on April 1 and April 30, because May 1 is a Saturday. July brings deposits on July 1 and July 30, because August 1 is a Sunday. December brings deposits on December 1 and December 30, because January 1, 2028 is a holiday. January, May and August 2027 have no SSI deposit dated in that month at all.
The second deposit in each double month is next month’s money, paid early. It does not raise your income for benefit purposes, and it does not count as a windfall. But it does mean budgeting carefully: spend the April 30 deposit in April and May’s bills have nothing behind them. The gap is real — from the December 31, 2026 deposit to the February 1, 2027 deposit is 32 days.
The limits that did not move
Not everything rises with the COLA. SSI’s resource limits stay exactly where they have been for decades: $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. Those limits are not indexed to inflation, so the same $2,000 in savings that disqualified someone years ago still does.
The student earned-income exclusion does move: in 2027, a student under 22 who regularly attends school can exclude up to $2,500 a month in earnings, up to $10,080 a year, before it counts against SSI.
What the raise means for you
For a single recipient at the maximum, the COLA is worth $35 a month. That is real money, but it is worth remembering that a higher benefit can nudge someone closer to the income limits of other programs. The COLA counts as income, so it can affect SNAP, Extra Help with Medicare drug costs, and Medicare Savings Programs, depending on how close you already are to a limit.
If you receive SSI, three things are worth doing now. Check your my Social Security account to confirm your payment amount and date. Report any change in income, living arrangements or resources promptly, because the new amounts make the math more sensitive. And mark the double-deposit months on your calendar — April, July and December — so the early money covers the month it is meant for.
FAQ
How much will SSI pay in 2027?
The maximum federal SSI payment is $1,029 a month for an individual, $1,544 for a couple, and $516 for an essential person. Most recipients get less, because countable income is subtracted and the federal amount is a ceiling, not a standard payment.
When does the first 2027 SSI payment arrive?
The payment for January 2027 arrives on Thursday, December 31, 2026, because January 1 is a federal holiday. It is the first deposit at the new 2027 rate, and it is January’s money, not an extra payment.
Which months have two SSI payments in 2027?
April (April 1 and April 30), July (July 1 and July 30) and December (December 1 and December 30). January, May and August have no SSI deposit dated in the month, because those payments arrive early in the month before.
Do the SSI resource limits change in 2027?
No. The resource limits stay at $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. They are not adjusted for inflation.
Does the 3.6% COLA also raise SSDI?
Yes. The same 3.6% COLA applies to Social Security Disability Insurance, and the average disabled worker’s benefit rises to about $1,701 a month in 2027. The substantial gainful activity limit rises to $1,770 a month for non-blind workers.
Sources
- Social Security Administration, SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2027 (ssa.gov/oact/cola/SSI.html)
- Social Security Administration, Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Information for 2027
- Social Security Administration, Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2027 (Publication No. 05-10031)