2027 Social Security Wage Base and Earnings Test Tracker
The taxable maximum, the earnings test and the COLA are all announced together in October. Here is what the Trustees currently project.
What is the 2027 Social Security wage base and earnings test?
Projected, not official. Under the intermediate assumptions of the 2026 OASDI Trustees Report (Table V.C1), the 2027 contribution and benefit base is projected at $190,200, up from $184,500 in 2026; the alternative assumption sets bracket it between $189,900 and $190,500. The retirement earnings test exempt amounts are projected at $25,200 for beneficiaries under full retirement age and $67,200 in the year they reach FRA. SSA publishes the binding figures in its annual fact sheet on COLA announcement day, historically around October 15; a delayed CPI-W release pushes that date back.
- PROJECTED 2027 wage base: $190,200 (2026 official: $184,500).
- Alternative-assumption range: $189,900–$190,500.
- PROJECTED earnings test: $25,200 under FRA, $67,200 in the FRA year.
- Announced with the COLA, typically mid-October; a CPI delay slips the date.
- Medicare tax has no wage cap — only OASDI stops at the base.
2026 official vs 2027 projected
| Figure | 2026 (official) | 2027 (projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Taxable wage base (contribution and benefit base) | $184,500 | $190,200 |
| Maximum employee OASDI tax (6.2%) | $11,439 | $11,792.4 |
| Earnings test — under FRA all year | $24,480 | $25,200 |
| Earnings test — year you reach FRA | $65,160 | $67,200 |
Why the announcement date can move
The COLA depends on third-quarter CPI-W, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If federal funding lapses at the start of October, the CPI release can be delayed — and with it the COLA, the wage base, and the earnings test. That happened during the 43-day shutdown that began October 1, 2025. The figures themselves are unaffected; only the announcement slips.
Note also that the law defers any increase in the wage base if there is no COLA effective for December of the preceding year. Under all three Trustees assumption sets, the base is projected to rise every future year.
Update trigger: the SSA COLA fact sheet, expected around October 15, 2026.
Related tools & guides
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OpenFrequently asked questions
- What is the 2027 Social Security wage base?
- $190,200 under the intermediate assumptions of the 2026 OASDI Trustees Report, up from $184,500 in 2026. The low-cost and high-cost alternatives bracket it at $189,900 and $190,500. SSA publishes the binding figure in its annual fact sheet, historically around October 15.
- When is the 2027 wage base announced?
- The same day as the COLA — normally mid-October, after the September CPI-W release. A lapse in government funding that delays the CPI release pushes the announcement later, as happened during the October–November 2025 shutdown.
- What are the 2027 earnings-test limits?
- Projected at $25,200 for people below full retirement age all year (one dollar withheld per two dollars over) and $67,200 in the year you reach full retirement age (one per three over, counting only months before the month you reach FRA). Both are projections until SSA announces.
- What if I overpay Social Security tax across two jobs?
- If two or more employers together withheld more than the maximum on the wage base, you claim the excess as a refundable credit on your Form 1040 — you do not ask the employers for it. A single employer that over-withheld must correct it directly.
Sources & References
Primary references used for this content
2026 OASDI Trustees Report, Table V.C1
Pre-announcement contribution and benefit bases and earnings-test exempt amounts under all three assumption sets
View on ssa.gov
Social Security cost-of-living adjustment fact sheet
Where the binding wage base and earnings-test limits are published
View on ssa.gov
Definition of wages — contribution and benefit base
The statutory cap on wages subject to the OASDI tax
View on law.cornell.edu
✓3 primary sources; links re-checked on a weekly rotation by the source watcher
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only. Not tax, legal, or financial advice. Results may vary based on your specific circumstances. Consult a qualified CPA or tax professional for personalized guidance.