The Social Security Administration will announce the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment in roughly a month, but those hoping for a large benefit boost might be disappointed. COLA projections have continued to drop over the last several months, though nothing's locked in yet.
Here's what we know about the 2027 Social Security COLA so far, and what you can expect once the government releases the official number on Oct. 14, 2026.
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The latest 2027 Social Security COLA projection is 3.5%
The latest 2027 COLA estimate is 3.5%, according to September data from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). The organization had predicted a COLA as high as 3.9% several months earlier, but inflation hasn't remained high enough to support those earlier projections.
A 3.5% COLA would add roughly $73 per month to the $2,086 average monthly retirement benefit as of July 2026. That would give the typical senior roughly $876 more in 2027, but for some, it might not be enough to cover all the increased costs they've faced this year.
However, a 3.5% benefit boost is still significantly larger than the 2.8% increase that seniors saw in 2026. It's also above-average compared to the last 50 years.
The official 2027 COLA announcement will occur on Oct. 14, 2026
The Social Security Administration will officially announce the 2027 COLA on Oct. 14, 2026, at around 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. This is when the CPI report with the September inflation data will be released. That will give us the final piece of information necessary to complete the COLA calculation.
The official COLA might be slightly higher or lower than the 3.5% estimate, depending on what inflation does over the next few weeks. But it's unlikely to be dramatically different.
Once we know the official COLA percentage, you can add this to your current benefit to get a rough idea of how much more you'll receive next year. You can use this as your baseline when preparing your 2027 budget.
You should get a personalized COLA notice from the Social Security Administration in early December. This will show your exact benefit amount and include details on how much the government will withhold from your checks for Medicare Part B premiums if you're enrolled in both programs. Review this information when it arrives and make any necessary changes to your budget before January.
