Every fall brings two deadlines for older Utah County residents and their families: the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, which lands in January, and Medicare open enrollment, which closes December 7. This year the COLA is 3.6 percent, the largest in a few years.
This guide covers the 2027 numbers, what they mean for SSI and for people still working, where the Provo Social Security office is and how to avoid needing it, how to replace a card, and how Medicare's fall window works. It is drawn from the Social Security Administration's 2027 COLA announcement and fact sheet, its card-replacement page, Medicare.gov, Mountainland Association of Governments and the Utah County Clerk, checked on November 13, 2026.
The 2027 numbers at a glance
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-living adjustment | 3.6% | |
| Average retired worker's monthly benefit (January) | $2,095 | $2,170 |
| Aged couple, both receiving benefits | $3,238 | $3,355 |
| Aged widow(er) alone | $1,936 | $2,005 |
| All disabled workers | $1,642 | $1,701 |
| SSI federal payment, individual | $994 | $1,029 |
| SSI federal payment, couple | $1,491 | $1,544 |
| SSI resource limit, individual / couple | $2,000 / $3,000 | $2,000 / $3,000 |
| Earnings limit under full retirement age | $24,480 | $25,560 |
| Earnings limit in the year you reach full retirement age | $65,160 | $67,920 |
| Disability "substantial gainful activity," non-blind | $1,690/mo. | $1,770/mo. |
| Disability "substantial gainful activity," blind | $2,830/mo. | $2,950/mo. |
| Trial work period month | $1,210 | $1,270 |
| Maximum taxable earnings | $184,500 | $192,300 |
| Maximum benefit at full retirement age | $4,152/mo. | $4,188/mo. |
The averages are SSA's estimates for benefits payable in January 2027. Your own amount depends on your record.
The COLA, explained
SSA announced the 3.6 percent adjustment on October 14, 2026. By law it is tied to the change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2025 to the third quarter of 2026. SSA says retirement benefits will rise by about $75 a month on average.
Timing:
- Social Security beneficiaries, nearly 72 million people nationally, see the increase beginning with benefits payable in January 2027.
- SSI recipients, about 7.3 million, get it starting with the payment on December 31, 2026.
Your notice: people with a personal my Social Security account can view their COLA notice online starting in late November, up to three weeks before the paper notice. To see it online, SSA says you must create an account and opt in to paperless notices by November 18, 2026. Everyone else gets the notice by mail in December. SSA says the notice is now a simplified one-page letter showing the exact new amount and any deductions.
Medicare premiums: the 2027 Medicare premium amounts are announced separately at Medicare.gov. For people who have Part B premiums deducted from Social Security, the new net amount appears in the December COLA notice and in my Social Security's Message Center.
If you are still working
If you collect Social Security before your full retirement age and keep working, the earnings test applies:
- Under full retirement age all year: the 2027 limit is $25,560 ($2,130 a month). SSA withholds $1 for every $2 earned above it.
- The year you reach full retirement age: the limit is $67,920 ($5,660 a month), counting only earnings before the month you reach full retirement age. SSA withholds $1 for every $3 above it.
- From the month you reach full retirement age: no limit.
Withheld benefits are not simply lost; SSA recalculates the benefit at full retirement age to account for months it withheld. That recalculation is worth understanding before deciding whether to claim early while working.
When to claim: 62, 67 or 70
The COLA applies to whatever benefit you already have, so the age you start collecting matters far more over a lifetime than any single year's adjustment. SSA's retirement planner lays out the basics:
- Earliest: you can start retirement benefits at 62, and you must be 62 for the entire month.
- Full retirement age: for anyone born in 1960 or later, it is 67. People born in 1959 reached it at 66 and 10 months.
- Latest that pays: if you wait past full retirement age, the benefit grows until 70, then stops growing.
What the choice does to a benefit, using SSA's own example of someone whose full-retirement-age benefit would be $1,000 a month, born 1960 or later:
| Start at | Monthly benefit | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | $700 | 30% less, permanently |
| 67 (full retirement age) | $1,000 | Full benefit |
| 70 | $1,240 | 8% more for each year of delay |
A spouse who claims at 62 takes a larger cut: SSA's chart shows a spouse benefit at 62 reduced by 35 percent for people born in 1960 or later.
SSA credits 8 percent a year (two-thirds of 1 percent a month) for each year you delay past full retirement age, for anyone born in 1943 or later. If you retire before 70, SSA notes that some of those delayed credits are not applied until the January after you start benefits.
There is no single right answer. Health, marriage, other savings and whether you are still working all bear on it. Run your own numbers in a my Social Security account, which shows your estimate at each age, before you decide.
Applying: SSA's application page says retirement benefits require being at least 62 and having worked and paid Social Security taxes, generally for about 10 years. You can apply online at ssa.gov, and enrolling in Medicare can be handled at the same time if you are eligible.
Does Utah tax Social Security?
Utah includes Social Security in state taxable income the same way the federal return does, then offers a nonrefundable Social Security benefits credit under Utah Code 59-10-1042. The credit equals the state's income tax rate, 4.45 percent for 2026 under Utah Code 59-10-104, times the Social Security benefits included in your Utah taxable income, which for most people wipes out the state tax on those benefits.
The credit shrinks by 2.5 cents for every dollar of modified adjusted gross income above these thresholds, as amended in 2025 and effective January 1, 2026:
| Filing status | Credit starts phasing out above |
|---|---|
| Single | $54,000 |
| Married filing jointly | $90,000 |
| Head of household | $90,000 |
| Married filing separately | $45,000 |
Two limits from the statute: unused credit cannot be carried forward or back, and you cannot claim this credit in the same year you claim Utah's retirement credit under Section 59-10-1019. A volunteer tax site or tax preparer can sort out which credit fits. Our guide to Utah income tax credits walks through both, and our tax prep guide covers free VITA sites in Provo. Spanish speakers can use our free tax help guide in Spanish.
SSI and disability
SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is the needs-based program for people 65 and older, blind or disabled with limited income and resources. Its 2027 federal payment standard is $1,029 for an individual and $1,544 for a couple, and the resource limits stay at $2,000 and $3,000. The SSI student earned-income exclusion rises to $2,500 a month, up to $10,080 a year.
For Social Security Disability, the 2027 "substantial gainful activity" threshold is $1,770 a month for non-blind people and $2,950 for people who are blind, and a trial work period month is any month with earnings over $1,270.
The Provo Social Security office
The Utah County Clerk's office lists the Social Security office in Utah County at:
88 West 100 North, Provo, UT 84601 Phone: 866-366-9549
SSA's national number, 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778), answers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in most U.S. time zones, in English, Spanish and other languages.
Many tasks do not need an office visit at all. A my Social Security account at ssa.gov lets you check your record, get a benefit estimate, see your COLA notice and, in many cases, start a card replacement.
Replacing a Social Security card
SSA's guidance:
- It is free. Do not pay a website to "replace" your card.
- You may not need one. If you know your number, SSA says a physical card usually is not necessary.
- Start online. Depending on your situation you may be able to apply online, and SSA calls starting online the fastest way.
- If you must visit an office, an appointment reduces your wait.
- It comes by mail in 5 to 10 business days after SSA completes your request. A local office cannot print one for you.
If you changed your name after marriage, the Utah County Clerk notes that you will usually need a certified copy of your marriage certificate; its name-change page walks through Social Security, the driver license and the passport in order.
Medicare's fall window: October 15 to December 7
Medicare.gov describes Open Enrollment as October 15 through December 7. During it you can:
- Join, drop or switch a Medicare Advantage plan, with or without drug coverage, or add or drop drug coverage.
- Switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or back.
- Join, drop or switch a Medicare drug plan if you are in Original Medicare.
Changes take effect January 1, and the plan must receive your request by December 7.
A second window runs January 1 through March 31, but only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
New to Medicare: your Initial Enrollment Period generally lasts seven months, starting three months before the month you turn 65 and ending three months after it.
Eligibility for plans: Medicare.gov says that to join a Medicare health or drug plan you generally must have Part A and/or Part B, live in the plan's service area, and be a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident, a Cuban-Haitian entrant, or lawfully living in the U.S. as a COFA migrant.
Free Medicare counseling in Utah County
Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG), through its Aging and Family Services, offers Medicare counseling for Utah, Wasatch and Summit counties, which it describes as unbiased, personalized guidance. MAG also runs a senior helpline and options counseling, Meals on Wheels, senior nutrition and caregiver support, and publishes a Senior Help Guide in English and Spanish. MAG's main line is 801-229-3800. Medicare's own line is 1-800-633-4227 (TTY 1-877-486-2048).
Other help for older residents through MAG
Mountainland's Aging and Family Services page lists more than Medicare counseling. For Utah, Wasatch and Summit county residents it offers:
- In-home help and caregiver support: in-home programs, a Caregiver Support Program and caregiver support groups, plus dementia education and caregiver courses.
- Meals: senior nutrition meals Monday through Friday at lunch, Meals on Wheels, and local senior centers.
- Housing and bills: HEAT utility bill assistance, the Weatherization Assistance Program and single-family housing rehab.
- Advocacy: a Long-term Care Ombudsman, which MAG describes as free, confidential advocacy for seniors in care settings, and a senior helpline and options counseling.
- Company: a Friendly Callers program in which volunteers check in once a week with people who feel isolated.
- The Senior Help Guide, a directory of local resources in English and Spanish. For a printed copy, call 801-229-3804.
MAG also takes online referrals from family members who want to connect a parent or neighbor with services.
Watch for Social Security scams
SSA's COLA page repeats a warning worth taking seriously: its services are free, and no government agency will ask for personal information or advance fees by wire transfer or gift card. A caller claiming your number is "suspended," or offering a bigger COLA for a fee, is a scammer. Suspected Social Security fraud can be reported to the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report or 1-800-269-0271.
A checklist for this month
- Create or check your my Social Security account before November 18 if you want your COLA notice online.
- Review your Medicare plan before December 7. Drug formularies and networks change every year.
- Call MAG at 801-229-3800 for free Medicare counseling if the choices are confusing.
- If you are working and claiming early, check your expected 2027 earnings against the $25,560 or $67,920 limit.
- If you receive SSI, expect the higher payment on December 31, 2026.
- Read your December COLA notice line by line. If Medicare Part B is deducted from your benefit, the net deposit you see in January reflects both the 3.6 percent raise and the new 2027 premium, so the change in your bank account may be smaller than the headline figure.
- Thinking about claiming in 2027? Check your estimate at 62, 67 and 70 in my Social Security first.
Older residents facing high winter utility bills should also see our HEAT utility assistance guide; MAG runs that program too.
Related Guides
- Seguro Social y Medicare en el condado de Utah (en español)
- Help paying utility bills in Utah County: HEAT and weatherization
- Retiring in Utah Valley
- Health insurance in Utah, explained
- Utah Medicaid's work requirement for 2027
- Free and low-cost legal help in Utah County
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will Social Security go up in 2027?
When does the 2027 increase show up?
What is the SSI payment for 2027?
How much can I earn while collecting Social Security before full retirement age?
Where is the Social Security office in Provo?
How do I replace a lost Social Security card?
When is Medicare open enrollment?
Where can I get free Medicare help in Utah County?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Information, Social Security Administration. Checked November 13, 2026.
- 2027 Social Security Changes fact sheet, Social Security Administration. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2027 (Oct. 14, 2026), Social Security Administration. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Replace your Social Security card, Social Security Administration. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Retirement benefits: age reduction chart, Social Security Administration. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Delayed retirement credits, Social Security Administration. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Apply for Social Security benefits, Social Security Administration. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Joining a plan (Open Enrollment, eligibility), Medicare.gov / CMS. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Talk to someone, Medicare.gov / CMS. Checked November 13, 2026.
- MAG Aging & Family Services, Mountainland Association of Governments. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Utah Code 59-10-1042, Nonrefundable tax credit for social security benefits (effective 1/1/2026), Utah Legislature. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Utah Code 59-10-104, Tax basis and rate, Utah Legislature. Checked November 13, 2026.
- SSA Office of the Inspector General: Report fraud, SSA Office of the Inspector General. Checked November 13, 2026.
