Social Security beneficiaries could see their benefits increase by nearly 4% in 2027, according to the latest prediction from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). The non-partisan senior-advocacy group’s latest prediction for the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) came in at 3.8% according to a report released Wednesday.
If the COLA were to come in at 3.8%, it would be the largest increase since 2023 when the COLA was 8.7%. Still, leadership with TSCL says a 3.8% increase isn’t enough to help seniors keep up with rising costs.
“We’re seeing inflation on the rise when more than half of seniors already can’t afford basic living standards,” said TSCL executive director Shannon Benton. “We’re talking about food, a roof over their head, and transportation. Many seniors already have to skip doctor’s appointments due to costs, which costs all of us more in the long run when we swap preventative care for emergency care.”
If the 3.8% increase comes to fruition, the average increase in monthly benefits would be worth $77, according to the TSCL. The average retiree receives $2,026 per month, meaning a 3.8% increase would make the monthly benefit worth $2,103.
TSCL argues that even with an extra $77 per month, most retirees will continue to struggle, as the average cost of living for a single person is around $2,700 per month. A recent survey conducted by TSCL found that 57 percent of seniors survive on less than $2,000 a month.
“Congress and the President must raise benefits so seniors can meet basic cost-of-living standards, for the good of the entire country,” Benton said. “When signing Social Security into law, President Roosevelt described the program as `a structure intended to lessen the force of possible future depressions` and `flatten out the peaks and valleys of deflation and of inflation`. In today’s world, with change coming faster than ever, most Americans would tell you that they agree.”
MORE BY MATT DURR
Walmart’s drone delivery to expand to 7 major metropolitan areas by 2027Jun. 11, 2026, 2:37 p.m.
Knicks radio announcer caught trashing Taylor Swift on hot mic: ‘She’s not a Knicks fan’Jun. 11, 2026, 12:28 p.m.
The COLA is calculated by using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W) for the months of July, August and September. That number is then compared to the same time period from the year prior and the COLA is calculated from there. The CPI-W factors in the spending habits of Americans when it comes to items such as food, consumer goods, housing, health care and more.
