Social Security beneficiaries should learn their 2027 cost of living adjustment in October, with current forecasts pointing to a larger increase than they received this year.
The 2027 Social Security COLA is scheduled to be announced on October 14, after the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its September inflation figures.
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That final inflation report is crucial because the Social Security Administration calculates the annual increase using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, known as the CPI-W, during July, August and September.
Until all three months of data are available, any projected COLA remains an estimate.
What is the latest 2027 Social Security COLA forecast?
AARP currently projects that Social Security benefits could rise by 3.5 percent in 2027.
That estimate is based on inflation data available through July combined with projections for August and September.
July’s CPI-W was 3.4 percent higher than it had been a year earlier, but inflation can still shift before the calculation is finalized.
A 3.5 percent COLA would add approximately $73 per month to the average retired worker’s benefit, based on an average monthly payment of about $2,086.
The average surviving spouse receiving around $1,933 per month could see an increase of approximately $68, while an average Social Security Disability Insurance payment of $1,635 could rise by roughly $57.
The forecast isn’t guaranteed, however, and changes in food, energy and other consumer prices during the remaining calculation period could push the final figure higher or lower.
When will the 2027 COLA be officially announced?
The official 2027 Social Security COLA announcement is expected on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
Beneficiaries won’t need to apply for the increase. Once confirmed, the adjustment will automatically be reflected in Social Security payments beginning with benefits paid in January 2027.
The eventual increase will be compared with the 2.8 percent COLA awarded for 2026.
Social Security’s annual adjustment is designed to prevent inflation from steadily reducing the purchasing power of benefits.
With millions of retirees relying heavily on Social Security for their monthly income, the October announcement will provide an important figure for households preparing their 2027 budgets.
Until then, 3.5 percent remains one of the leading estimates rather than the confirmed increase.
