The latest projection shows Social Security beneficiaries are in line for a 3.6% Cost of Living Adjustment in 2027. While that raise would be the largest in four years, it falls far short of addressing the needs of retirees, according to a leading advocacy group.
The Senior Citizens League’s new estimate reflects a 0.8 percentage point increase over last year’s COLA of 2.8%. If those figures hold – and recipients won’t know until October – average monthly benefits would rise by $69.75, from $1,937.53 to $2,007.28.
A large increase isn’t necessarily good news, however.
The COLA is projected to be higher due to inflation. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W, which is used to calculate the COLA, has risen at an annual rate of more than 3% since March. In 2025, the CPI-W peaked at 3%.
The current CPI-W yearly change is 3.4%, which is 0.2 percentage points lower than TSCL’s projection, indicating experts predict a slight increase in inflation.
READ MORE: Major Social Security change fast-tracks disability benefits for some people
‘It’s infuriating’
Those numbers have real impacts, according to TSCL Executive Director Shannon Benton.
“Seniors don’t experience inflation as a percentage on a chart. They experience it at the grocery store, at the pharmacy, in their insurance premiums and when they pay the rent. That’s why the size of the COLA matters, but so does how accurately it reflects their real-world expenses,” Benton said.
“Frankly, it’s infuriating that seniors must wait for a COLA to catch up with prices that have already driven up their grocery bills, housing costs, healthcare expenses and insurance premiums,” she added. “A higher COLA is welcome, but seniors shouldn’t have to lose purchasing power year after year before Washington acknowledges what they’re experiencing.”
The Social Security Administration will announce the 2027 COLA on Oct. 14. The figure is determined by taking the average yearly change in the CPI-W for July, August, and September.
