Social Security paperless COLA cutoff: When to sign up for online notices this month

Millions of Americans waiting to learn how much their Social Security payments will rise next year have an important deadline to keep in mind.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has set November 18 as the final day for beneficiaries who want to get their 2027 COLA notice online instead of waiting for a letter in the mail.

Anyone who has not yet opened a my Social Security account or chosen paperless communications should complete the process before that cutoff if they want early digital access.

The SSA confirmed the date in an October announcement that also unveiled a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for 2027.

Those who register and opt in on time will be able to view their personalized benefit details online beginning in late November, potentially as much as three weeks before the paper version arrives.

That date is not a deadline to receive the COLA itself or to apply for Social Security benefits. It only applies to people seeking early online access to their annual adjustment notice.

Beneficiaries who do not sign up for paperless communication will still receive the information. The SSA said paper notices will be sent during December.

How to sign up for paperless Social Security notices

People without an existing online account can start at the official SSA website, ssa.gov/myaccount.

After creating an account, users should go to their profile and notification settings, then choose the paperless communications option. The agency says users must turn the setting on, review the authorization agreement, and confirm the choice.

Even people who already have a my Social Security account should review their preferences to make sure digital delivery is enabled. Having an account alone does not automatically mean paperless notices have been selected.

The SSA's Message Center offers a secure place to receive important documents, including annual COLA notices. Users can also choose to get email or text alerts when a new message is available.

The agency says the simplified one-page notice will include personalized details such as the exact amount of a person's new benefit and any applicable deductions.

How much will Social Security payments rise in 2027?

The deadline follows the SSA's confirmation that benefits will increase by 3.6%, giving a boost to about 76 million people receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

According to the agency, the average retirement benefit will go up by about $75 a month. The exact increase will vary based on a person's current benefit amount.

Nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries will begin receiving the higher payments in January 2027. About 7.3 million SSI recipients will see their larger payments start on December 31, 2026. Some Americans receive both forms of assistance.

The COLA is intended to help benefits keep up with rising living costs and is calculated using changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.

For people enrolled in Medicare, the online notice will also help explain the updated payment after any relevant deductions. Details on Medicare's 2027 changes will be available separately through Medicare.gov.

Anyone who misses the deadline will not lose the COLA increase or their right to the information. They will simply have to wait for the paper notice, which the SSA says will arrive in December.

With the cutoff approaching, beneficiaries who want digital access should make sure their accounts and communication preferences are set up correctly.