US retirement numbers for 2027
The official yearly figures that US retirement plans depend on. Every figure links its official source, with the date of that source and the date we last checked it.
Page updated: 2026-10-17
IRS limits for 401(k) plans and IRAs for 2027 have not been announced yet (checked 2026-10-17). We show them as "Pending official announcement" and add them only when the IRS publishes them. The 2026 values (IRS, 2025-11-13) are shown for reference.
Social Security
| Figure | 2027 | Official source (source date) | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for benefits payable from January 2027 Based on the rise in the average CPI-W from the third quarter of 2025 (317.265) to the third quarter of 2026 (328.746). Increased SSI payments begin on December 31, 2026. | 3.6% |
| 2026-10-17 |
| Maximum earnings subject to Social Security tax (taxable maximum) | $192,300 |
| 2026-10-17 |
| Earnings limit while receiving benefits, if you are under full retirement age all year Applies only if you work while receiving Social Security benefits. $1 of benefits is withheld for every $2 earned above the limit. | $25,560 a year |
| 2026-10-17 |
| Earnings limit while receiving benefits, in the year you reach full retirement age (2027) Counts only earnings in the months before you reach full retirement age; $1 of benefits is withheld for every $3 above the limit. From full retirement age there is no earnings limit. | $67,920 a year |
| 2026-10-17 |
Retirement accounts (IRS)
| Figure | 2027 | Official source (source date) | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457 and TSP: employee contribution limit | Pending official announcement 2026 (official): $24,500 (IRS, 2025-11-13) |
| 2026-10-17 |
| 401(k) and similar plans: catch-up contribution, age 50 and over | Pending official announcement 2026 (official): $8,000 (IRS, 2025-11-13) |
| 2026-10-17 |
| 401(k) and similar plans: higher catch-up contribution, ages 60–63 | Pending official announcement 2026 (official): $11,250 (IRS, 2025-11-13) |
| 2026-10-17 |
| IRA contribution limit (traditional and Roth combined) | Pending official announcement 2026 (official): $7,500 (IRS, 2025-11-13) |
| 2026-10-17 |
| IRA catch-up contribution, age 50 and over | Pending official announcement 2026 (official): $1,100 (IRS, 2025-11-13) |
| 2026-10-17 |
Using these figures in a calculator: enter your own Social Security amount under "Other yearly income in retirement", in today's money, in How much do I need? or Can I retire at X?. Plain-English background: US retirement guides.
How we check these numbers
- Only primary sources: the agency that sets the figure (SSA, IRS) or publishes the data behind it (BLS).
- The COLA was also recomputed from the BLS CPI-W data: the third-quarter average rose from 317.265 (2025) to 328.746 (2026), an increase of 3.62%, which rounds to 3.6%.
- Projections by third parties are not shown. A figure stays "Pending official announcement" until the agency publishes it.
- "Source date" is the date the source was published (or last updated, or the data period); "Checked" is when we last compared our figure with that source.
FAQ
What is the Social Security COLA for 2027?
SSA announced a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment, starting with benefits payable in January 2027 (SSA, October 14, 2026).
What is the 2027 Social Security earnings limit?
If you receive benefits and are under full retirement age all year, $25,560; in the year you reach full retirement age, $67,920, counting only earnings before that month (SSA, October 14, 2026).
What is the Social Security taxable maximum for 2027?
$192,300: the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (SSA, October 14, 2026).
What are the 401(k) and IRA limits for 2027?
Pending official announcement: the IRS has not published them yet (checked 2026-10-17). We add them when the IRS publishes them; the 2026 limits are $24,500 (401(k)) and $7,500 (IRA) (IRS, 2025-11-13).
More on sources: methodology. These figures are general information, not personal advice: disclaimer. Overview: US retirement numbers.
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